Don't think of vacations as a luxury you can't afford. They're serious business for entrepreneurs, providing mental rejuvenation and creative renewal.

"Taking a vacation is not frivolous behavior. It's essential to staying healthy," says Alan Muney, M.D., chief medical officer and executive vice president at Oxford Health Plans. "Regular vacations are preventive medicine. They cut down on stress-related illness and save health-care dollars. Taking a vacation is a serious health issue that should not be ignored."

Knowing what's good for you and actually doing it are very different beasts. if you never seem to find time to take a full-fledged vacation, here are a few tips to help you get out the door:

• Plan in advance. By scheduling your vacation on your calendar, you can start preparing your customers, your employees and yourself for your time away.

• Plan around downtimes. If your business is seasonal, take some days off during your predictable slow time.

• Put up the money. Make a deposit on a beach house, mountain cabin, cruise or even a luxurious hotel room. The financial commitment will help you keep your vacation date.

Don't even have time to take a vacation, much less plan one? Use a travel agency. You can even choose group tours that focus on adventure travel, hiking and other alternative tours. Just reading the information packets can get you jazzed about and committed to taking a well-deserved vacation. And the more excited you are about the vacation, the more likely you are to leave the office behind.