When professors have conference deadlines or other due dates that fall in early January, they 
often want me to help them with how to strike the right balance of work, friends, family time, and relaxation over the holidays. Too often people bring work along on a vacation, don’t touch it, but then feel guilty the entire time, because they are not getting their work done. So they are not really having time off and not getting their work done either – it is the worst of both worlds. You will feel better if you make a plan that includes both on time and off time, and stick to it.
For those who are traveling for a week or less, the plan is often to work while at home but not while traveling, or even to work on the plane, but not at the destination. When visiting extended family for a longer period of time, my clients often plot out days when they might put in a couple of hours of morning work, but plan ahead to be completely off on Christmas Eve and Day, New Year’s Eve and Day, and perhaps several other days when special outings or events are planned.
Whatever mix you choose, it is important to have planned in time to be completely off duty, so that you can relax and interact with significant others guilt-free. This way you will enter the New Year without a remorse-hangover, revitalized, and ready to get back to work.