Extra time off hard to come by.

• Position: The Workplace

Santa's elves will not be the only ones working hard as Christmas nears. A survey developed by OfficeTeam, Menlo Park, Calif., a staffing service specializing in the placement of administrative professionals, indicates that four out of 10 professionals will not take extra time off this holiday season beyond employer-provided vacation days. Only 25% plan to be gone a week or more.

"With the year coming to a close, employees may have already used up their vacation days, but other professionals sometimes get so wrapped up in work at the end of the year that they only take the company holidays they are granted," explains Diane Domeyer, executive director of OfficeTeam.

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Many professionals catch up on projects and some firms enter their peak season during the holidays, so it is important that workers prepare if they expect to take time off. "Everyone needs time away from work to recharge and avoid burnout," maintains Domeyer. "For those who are planning to be out of the office, extra preparation can ensure they won't return to an overwhelming amount of work or projects that have fallen off-track."

OfficeTeam offers the following tips for planning a worry-free vacation:

Plan ahead. Notify your manager early...