Downsizing has upped workloads and cut into backup help, problems a vacation can exacerbate. "People have so much work to do that they tend not to go on vacation because of what they face when they get back," notes Chuck Martin, CEO of NFI Research, a Madbury, N.H., research firm.

A ComputerWorld post says that not only do people plan to check in with the office while on vacation, their managers expect it. If you are a leader who wants your staff to have some down time, lead by example. Take your own vacation. Here are some tips to minimize the impact of your absence:

• Schedule time off in advance and let your boss know.
• Finish key tasks before you leave or ensure that you have assigned someone to continue working on them.
• Send an 'out of office message' to key contacts and clients. Let them know who will provide technical and management coverage in your absence. Do the same with your voice-mail message.
• Establish an escalation and problem solving process and clearly communicate it to your staff.
• Work out a reciprocal arrangement with a peer manager to be a focal point for issues that can't be handled by the team.
• Practice lurking. If you must take your laptop or blackberry with you, use them only to monitor events. Resist the urge to jump into an issue. Don't respond to emails or voice-mails unless it's to divert a disaster. Give your team the opportunity to resolve things without you. As I mentioned in my post on delegation , this is one of the ways that your team will build confidence in their abilities.

Finally, remember that no one, including the leader should be irreplaceable. Put plans in place to ensure that your team can function without you.