RELAX ... KICK BACK ... ENJOY. Vacations used to be more relaxing and enjoyable before cellphones, the internet, and social media. These days, it is hard to get away from the electronic intrusions on life. When we take some time off, all those connections we are leaving—TV, talk radio, office emails, friends’ texts—try to follow us like our shadow. With a few weeks of summer left before school starts, you can still take a long, or short, summer getaway. Here are some reminders of how to get the most out of time off ...

• Change of scene. Merely driving or flying to a new place will clear your mind. Leaving work at the office involves getting away physically. New places and experiences will reduce stress by resetting and recharging your brain.

• Stimulate your senses. The five senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell) have the power to alter our moods. Nature offers the best opportunity to activate our senses. Modern humans can also find plenty to harness the power of the senses in a city. Whether you are in the Rockies in Colorado or on the river in San Antonio, your senses will boost your mood and relieve your stress.

• Physical activity. Most Americans drive everywhere they go. Vacation offers the opportunity to walk, hike, bike, swim, etc. If all you do is walk instead of drive, the activity will shake up your routine.

• Feed your mind. Take the time to read a book. Instead of watching the TV news, read a local newspaper. Visit a museum or take in a live performance.

• Feed your spirit. Vacation is a time to luxuriate in natural beauty. Gaze at the clouds by day and the stars at night. Make the sunset an occasion by viewing it from an excellent vantage point.

• Be spontaneous. You can ruin a vacation by sticking to a schedule and trying to make everyone in the family stick to a plan and a timetable. Throw out that To-Do list and have a loosely planned day. Any hint of compulsion on vacation can spoil it for everyone.

• Partake of silence. One of the most restorative experiences that can recharge your body and mind is silence. Ideal locations? The beach, a lake, the forest, the mountains, the desert. Of course, nature is not silent. You will hear insects, birds, the wind, the waves, and all kinds of noise. The point is to indulge in natural sounds, and screen out all man-made noise.

• Recap. Talk about the vacation after you get home. Memories will stick longer when discussed and recalled.

If you must contact your office, do so once a day to preserve your vacation groove. All matters that require urgent action can be delegated to someone other than you. Resist the temptation to stay connected to work. If you are bored, you are not doing vacation right.

A good vacation can revive your spirit and reboot your brain. Shared pleasure creates fond memories and draws families closer together. If done right, the vacation will linger in the imagination. My sister-in-law, Sally, squeezed my arm in the movie theatre a few days ago. On the screen were scenes of the Hollywood sign, Beverly Hills, Venice Beach, and more of the places we visited in Los Angeles in April. We had such a good time that we both revisit Los Angeles in our imaginations often.

Right now, I’m gazing on the Pacific Ocean while dining at a farm-to-table restaurant on the Malibu Pier.