Welcome to our ultimate guide on how to get more holiday at work and maximise those precious days off! We get it – we all want more time to explore, unwind, and recharge without sacrificing our work commitments. In this blog, we spill the beans on clever time management techniques and the art of striking the perfect work-life balance. From mastering the art of requesting time off to planning strategic annual leave days, we’ve got you covered. Say goodbye to endless hours of daydreaming about your next adventure and say hello to a well-deserved break without the stress!

Both Scott and I work full time, and one of the things we get asked constantly is “how are you always on holiday?”. Admittedly, it does probably seem like that seeing as we manage to get away at least 4 or 5 times a year, but really, we are just very smart about using our annual leave. We both only use around 23 days holiday a year, but we time our leave to make the most of every single day, and here’s how…

Book as much of your leave in advance as possible.

If you get ahead of the game, not only are you getting first-dibs on the days you want, but you’ll also make sure you’re actually booking your holiday and spreading it out, rather than getting towards the end of the year and panic-booking your leftover days. Also, you’re giving your employer plenty of time to find arrangements for your cover, so there shouldn’t be many reasons why they would decline the request.

Time it around bank holidays and weekends.

This one is arguably the most important if you want to get more holiday at work; play your cards right and you can have a 10-day getaway using only 4 days of your annual leave around Easter every year. Also, adding just one day onto the beginning or end of all bank holiday weekends could result in quiet a few 4-day city breaks spread out over the year, without eating into your leave allowance too much!.

Bear in mind that these can sometimes be the most popular days to book off which is why it’s so important to get in early with your holiday requests. If you want to get ahead of your colleagues, I’ve put together a cheat-sheet for how to get more holiday at work next year; How to get the most holiday in 2024, where I’ve broken down and highlighted which days to book off to turn 27 days annual leave into 52 days of holiday.

Don’t book days off un-necessarily.

Need this Friday afternoon off to go to a dentist appointment? Think about how you could try and work the hours back in the week as opposed to booking the time off (if your company allows it). Or maybe you could swap shifts with someone so you can go to that party next month? I’m not at ALL suggesting you stop living your life and work 24/7, but perhaps try and think of other ways to make your time work as opposed to jumping straight into booking holiday as your only option.

Make the most of your evenings.

If you’re looking at how to get more holiday at work, this is an easy fix. Instead of wasting an entire Saturday travelling, why not pack your bags so that you can jump in the car straight after work on the Friday evening, head to the airport and get to your destination the night before? You might want a bit of a lie-in the next morning, but you can wake up in your new destination and begin your holiday adventures a day earlier and squeeze more out of your day off.

Maximising your holiday days at work is all about striking the perfect balance between your professional commitments and your desire to explore and unwind. By using these savvy time management strategies and knowing your workplace policies (you can read about UK holiday entitlement rights here), you can unlock the secret to getting more holiday without sacrificing your career growth.

Remember, taking time for yourself is not just a luxury; it’s essential for your overall well-being and productivity. So, embrace your inner wanderluster, plan those holidays strategically, and don’t be afraid to request time off when you need it. Life’s too short not to savour every moment, and with these tips in your arsenal, you’ll be well on your way to becoming the master of your work-life balance.

Happy holidaying!