How do you use your annual leave?

[northstar19]

I've prebooked a few days for the remainder of the year and have used a couple already in January. My big one being 12 working days off in summer for my holiday.

This leaves me with about 9 days left for the remainder of the year. I always worry I'm going to run out! Or worry I'm wasting days off unless I have plans.

Do you only book time off if you have plans? Last year I feel I didn't have proper time off, as I used the odd day here and there rather than using a chunk and having a proper break.

Interested to see how others use theirs

I just book a couple of days off for each school holiday

@beansmeanz Yeah that seems a good idea. I have DC and wanted to book some time off over summer holidays too but it looks like everyone else has got there first

I keep them free to use in emergencies or instead of sick leave. Our sick leave is crap.

I always worry about running out too! I tend to book 10 days in the summer and then see how many I need for Christmas (usually 3). Then I have another 12 days so ideally a few at easter, a few in the spring half term and some in October. I try to have a few spare for random things.

I think I'd depends on your lifestyle. I only work part time (three days a week) and have three small children. So other than covering school holidays etc, I actually tend to schedule my leave so I can take some days off where I don't have the kids. We have no family help or anything so it's nice to be able to go for lunch or a day out with DH without having to take the kids!

I do 'save' some days for the children inevitably being ill though, and if I don't need them then it's a bonus.

Almost all school holidays. Then I keep a day a term so can have an admin day.

I have used leave to take DC to appointments and very sadly even to blitz the house when it's really needed!
I take time off during school holidays-2 weeks in the summer , a week in Easter, between Xmas and New year and a day or two during the half terms.
We can buy additional leave which helps with the extra days for appts, school events etc.
But sometimes I'd love to use it as a week off rather than single days here and there as it would be a lot more relaxing using it for a weekend away rather than appointments.

I have family holidays, the days between Christmas and the remainder is being used for a child free trip with DH (3 working days plus weekend), a girls trip abroad (2 working days), a holy communion. A couple of me days. And some buffer in case my kids or parents need me and I can’t juggle with work.

I only work 3 days a week, so just take a week here and there. I have the minimum 5.6 weeks, but often get paid for 2 of them as not working full time, and the kids are grown, I don't feel I need as much time off nowadays.

I get about 30 days but work 4 days a week so only need 4 days for a week off. I keep a spreadsheet and split it like this:

Easter - 4 days - Uk holiday
May half term - 4 days - good weather so usually go away
Summer holidays - 10-12 days, two week holiday then a few days here and there
Oct half term - 4 days - usually in laws visit
Christmas - 3-4 days depending on BHs
Remainder - kept for ad hoc things/chill days without the kids

I usually book at least an extra day each week of the school holidays to share out the childcare between me and my DM. My boss and I work together to ensure we both get an equal split of time with our kids during the holiday. So I generally get a week off at some point and then a couple of long weekends through the year.

I also always book a trip away just DD and I for a couple of nights in the summer.

Then I book my birthday, DH's birthday and DD's birthday off. And any days around them that might be wanted for parties, trips away etc.

I just book all of mine in the school holidays, co-ordinate diaries with DH to book a holiday once or twice a year if we can. I work p/t and use TOIL to pick up the slack of appointments, kids off sick etc.

I'm off Feb half term, second week of Easter hols, 3 weeks in the summer (1 in July and 2 in mid Aug) and Oct half term.

This leaves me with about 3 more weeks to take (carried over leave / TOIL)

I usually book either side of the bank holidays at Easter. I've always done that, since I started working. Then I'll have a couple of weeks in the summer to spend time with nieces and nephews. Usually a few days at Christmas, depending on the rest of the team. The rest of my leave is just used for chill days, hair appointments, that sort of thing.

I've had loads of leave the last couple of years, but back to normal this year.

I have young children so need school holiday cover. DH and I both tend to have a week off together for a holiday at Easter, and each take two weeks off in the Summer holidays but overlap one of the weeks for time off together....that way we can cover three weeks of the summer break.

Then just days here and there over half terms/Christmas and I try to keep a few days back to cover emergencies or if I really need a break and a day off to myself. We don't have family to help with childcare so any holiday we don't cover for DDs they go to holiday club.

I've already used up 8 days of mine as we've been on holiday.
I'm going to take a week in June, and October and the rest here and there. I think it's important to have at least a week preferably 2 off at some stage in the year.

Top Tip ..how to get 48 days off using just 19 days of leave in 2023...well worth a google!

I really don't get the hype about that. If you're in a job where you can do it, you get the bank hols anyway so you still get the same amount of leave.

Or am I missing something?

Two weeks in the summer hols plus a couple of days a week (at least) in the rest of the holidays. As DC have got older and particularly now I work from home so can manage sickness more easily I usually take the week of my birthday off (not in school hols) . I get 31 days plus flexi though.

I dont know either to be honest but all my girlfriends sit down at the start of holiday entitlement time and work it out to within a few days! They swear by it for some reason. I am retired so it doesnt apply to me.

It makes sense if you want to maximise blocks of time - e.g. if you have family overseas. I used to do it to go and see my grandparents in the US. But now with young kids, I personally prefer shorter stretches of leave for the most part.

We get ours in hours but equates to 30 days and struggle to take it all and usually carry over 50 hours . I work shifts so have a few days off during the week so depending on shift pattern I can take 4 days off and end up with 8 days off

It's just Internet nonsense that will rarely work in practice. Most people won't be allowed to be off for such a big block or won't benefit from it if they manage their own workload because they'll have a million emails and epic catching up to do when they return to work.

I try and do those maximise your annual leave type things and tag them onto the bank holidays. Holiday pirates did a great one this year. You know the type of story, how to get eleventy million days of using just 12 days annual leave.

I realised last year that I don't take big enough blocks of time off work, and I was getting very tired. Apart from Christmas, I only take a few days off at a time, probably because I don't want to run out! I have time off when workmen are in my house, but that's not exactly relaxing. I tend to go away for short breaks rather than a couple of weeks at a time. Definitely need to think about it a bit more this year!