6 Helpful Tips to Maximize Your Annual Leave

There is no gainsaying that I am passionate about seeing the world. However, I do not have all the time to travel as much as I would love to because I work full time.

Nevertheless, I always find ways to maximize the time I have to travel and I will tell you how I do this.

I find it quite disturbing when I hear about people who trade their leave days for a stipend and work all year, without taking a break.

Your annual leave should NEVER be negotiable. You are entitled to one and you should ALWAYS take it. You need it. Your body needs it. Your family needs it.

Here are a few tips on how to maximize your annual leave.

#1 Travel

Yes, I’ll preach this over and over again. Travel is a necessary component for a well-balanced life.

“The world is a book, and those who don’t travel only read one page.”- Augustine of Hippo

Decide on where you want to go, plan your trip and then go. Just go!

I shared a few tips on how to save money for your dream vacation. If you missed it, read it here.

Travel doesn’t have to be expensive. You can start by exploring cities around your country or the state you live in. Spend time away from your comfort zones and see the way other people live. This is the best form of education.

#2 Utilise Public Holidays

This is what I do. At the beginning of the year, I go through the calendar to identify the public holidays coming up that year, to enable me plan my holidays around these dates.

For example, if there is a 2day holiday in April (Thursday and Friday) and I need 8 days to travel, I may decide to take 3 days off work (Monday to Wednesday). This means I can travel the weekend before my leave, and have the preceding week to enjoy my destination.

This is one of the best ways to maximize your annual leave.

#3 Spread Your Leave Days

Do not take all your leave days at once. Spread it across the year if your work permits you. This will help you maximize your annual leave days.

I find it depressing whenever I exhaust my leave days early in the year. When people ask how often I travel, my response is usually “atleast three times in a year”. I spread my leave days across the year and decide on the big and small trips to take each year. I allocate more days to the big trips and plan the small trips around public holidays to gain more days.

#4 Visit and Spend Time with Your Loved Ones.

Give your loved ones your full attention. You are on vacation baby!

Take them somewhere they have never been before and create some bonding time. Help out around the house. Let your presence be a gift and not a burden.

Need I say, remember to visit your parents? They need you. Spend time with a sister, brother, aunt, uncle, nephew, niece or a close friend and spread some love. This can be therapeutic.

#5 Spend Time Ticking off Your Bucket List

We all have things we procrastinate about. Your leave days are perfect to get on with it. This may involve starting a new business to earn passive income or developing an existing one. Take time to reflect on your life and its direction, reacquaint yourself with some of your interests which you neglected because of work.

Be sure to live the life you love.

#6 Discover where you live

Some people fail to explore the cities they live in. Be adventurous and spend time exploring the places around you. Take road trips, hang out with friends, attend events, go on city tours and just discover more about where you live. You will be happy you did.

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