Maximizing Time Off In 2024: Turning 15 days Off Into 52!

Maximizing paid time off (PTO) is an art that can lead to a more fulfilling work-life balance and enhanced overall well-being.

To make the most of your PTO, it’s crucial to plan strategically and prioritize your personal and professional needs.

First, it’s essential to plan your time off well in advance. By scheduling your PTO around holidays, special occasions, or when you know you’ll need a break, you can make the most of your time away from work and enjoy it to the fullest.

Another key aspect of maximizing PTO is using it wisely. Consider taking extended vacations or planning multiple short getaways throughout the year, allowing you to recharge and rejuvenate regularly.

Communication with your employer is crucial in making the most of your PTO. Maintain open and clear communication about your time-off plans and responsibilities to ensure a smooth workflow during your absence.

It’s also a good practice to encourage your colleagues to take their PTO, as a well-rested and motivated team benefits both individuals and the organization as a whole.

By planning strategically, using your PTO wisely, and fostering a positive PTO culture at your workplace, you can maximize this valuable benefit and have a more fulfilling life.

Turning 15 days of PTO into 54 in 2024:

Disclaimer: I recognize not everyone has 15 days of PTO, works Monday-Friday or gets every Federal Holiday off, however, that does not mean you can’t utilize some of the below options to maximize some of your time off.

Highly recommend reading through all the options first just in case you cannot take advantage of all of them and then deciding what works best for your personal situation. If you could only maximize a couple of these, I would aim for the longest amounts of time off with the lowest amount of PTO days to give. That way it feels like a true vacation.

You deserve to take time away from work for whatever you want to do. Even if you don’t want to travel and want to see family or sit at home and decompress. Maximize what you have and make it work to your advantage.

January 2024:

Starting at the beginning of the month, you could take off January 2nd for your first four day weekend of the year. January first is New Years Day and the first Federal Holiday of the year.

By doing this here is what you get:

Four days off in a row (only two of these days are in 2024)
1 day of PTO used

Mid-month in January is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This date is Monday the 15th. You could either take Friday the 12th off and/or Tuesday the 16th off to give you another 4 day weekend.

Here is what you get:

4 days off in a row
1 day of PTO used
Alternatively, you could take 2 days off and make it a 5 day off plan, but I would not suggest this if you took the time off just a week and a half ago for New Years. There are better opportunities for longer periods later in the year.
Bonus – don’t utilize any days off right now, take the 3 day weekend and save the day for a longer stretch of time later in the year.

Where can you go on a 3/4 day weekend?

In 2023, here are all the three/four day weekend trips I took:

Best tips for utilizing short weekend trips:

Try to take a flight as soon as you get out of work and return back as late as possible to get the most out of your stay.
Fly carry-on only to avoid waiting for luggage or disruptions if something is lost.
Don’t over plan your trip as it is a short period of time. Try to plan a couple must do things and keep the rest open ended.

February 2024:

February 19th is President’s Day. You could opt to keep this a 3 day weekend of extend it to 4 days by taking the Friday or Tuesday off around it, OR you could turn this into 5 days off by taking Friday and Tuesday or Tuesday and Wednesday.

Here is one thing to note about this period of time off. If you went with both January holidays and extended a day, you would a month later be taking more time away. Some employers won’t even bat an eye and some others might start to think you don’t want to be there.

The time is yours – do with it what you want.

Also note, there is not another Federal Holiday until the end of May. This could be your last opportunity for time off before then, if you are planning to maximize time off around the holiday dates.

Here is what you get:

4 days off in a row
1 day of paid time off used
Alternatively, you could opt to keep it to just the three day weekend or extend to five days.
Bonus: if you have limited time off, you could just take the three day weekend and save the extra PTO day for later in the year to take a longer trip.

May 2024:

By the end of May, there has not been any Federal Holidays for over three months. Assuming you have not taken any additional time off, you currently have utilized 3 PTO days for the calendar year and have gotten 10 days off (12 if you count the last 2 days of December).

Memorial Day is May 27th, 2024. You could take Tuesday the 28th off or Friday the 24th off and turn this into a long 4 day weekend.

Here is what you get:

4 days off in a row
1 day of paid time off used
Alternatively, you could opt to keep it to just the three day weekend or extend to five days.
Bonus: if you have limited time off, you could just take the three day weekend and save the extra PTO day for later in the year to take a longer trip.

June 2024:

This is one of the largest stretches of possible time off in the year that you may want to take advantage of.

June 19th is Juneteenth, and it falls on a Wednesday, right in the middle of the week. You could use your PTO days and take off June 17, 18, 20, and 21, utilizing 4 PTO days but getting 9 days off in a row!

Your days off would be June 15-23rd.

Here is what you get:

9 days off in a row
4 days of paid time off used

Side note: I recognize not everyone has the same amount of paid time off each year, holidays off or even weekends. If you are one of the people who could not or cant do the time off above but have the time off available, this would be a good week to utilize time off at the beginning of the summer to get those 9 days off in a row.

June is the halfway mark throughout the calendar year and while there have been quite a few short weekend opportunities, this is the only time in the first half for a 9 day off opportunity in a row. But note, there are more large stretches off in the second half of the year.

Here are some of the longer trips I took with 7-9 days off that are completely doable:

July 2024:

July 4th falls on a Thursday in 2024, taking off the 5th could net you a 4 day weekend.

Days off: July 4th – July 7th.

Here is what you get:

4 days off in a row
1 day of paid time off used

There will not be another Federal Holiday until the beginning of September now.

September 2024:

Labor Day is the only Federal Holiday in September and the last weekend for an end of summer blow out. September 2nd is Labor Day and you could take either Tuesday September 3rd off OR August 30th off for a 4 day weekend.

Here is what you get:

4 days off in a row
1 day of paid time off used

October 2024:

October 14th is the next Federal Holiday that falls on a Monday. Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day. You could opt not to add any days onto this three day weekend as it is and I would recommend not taking anymore time because November and December are packed with great opportunities.

Just enjoy this three day weekend if it is available to you and save those PTO days for bigger stretches of time.

Here is what you get:

3 days off in a row
0 days of paid time off used

November 2024:

There are two Federal Holidays this month that you can turn into long weekends.

First, Veteran’s Day is November 11th, giving you a three day weekend. I would not suggest adding any time off right here.

Here is what you get:

3 days off in a row
0 days of paid time off used

Two weeks later is Thanksgiving, which always falls on a Thursday. You could do a 4 day weekend by also taking Friday November 29th off.

Here is what you get:

4 days off in a row
1 day of paid time off used

December 2024:

There are three different scenarios here I would consider:

First, the week of Christmas. December 25th falls on a Wednesday. If you took December 23, 24, 26, and 27th off, you could get 9 days off in a row for the price of 4 PTO days.

Here is what you get:

9 days off in a row
4 days of paid time off used

Second option as a bonus, if you didn’t use all your time above or wanted a longer vacation instead of a lot of short ones, you could do the above and add December 30th and 31st off as PTO days, getting January 1st of as a Federal Holiday for New Years. This would get you 12 days off in a row for the price of 6 PTO days.

Total time off based on the above calculations:

January: Part of the New Years holiday December 30th – January 2nd. 4 days off, 1 PTO day used.
January: Martin Luther King Jr. holiday – January 16-19th OR January 17-20th – 4 days off, 1 PTO day used
February: President’s Day – February 16-19th OR February 17-20th – 4 days off, 1 PTO day used
May: Memorial Day – May 24-27 OR May 25-28th – 4 days off, 1 PTO day used
June: Juneteenth – June 15-23rd – 9 days off, 4 PTO days used
July: 4th of July – July 4th-7th, 4 days off, 1 PTO day used
September: Labor Day – August 30-September 2nd OR August 31-September 3 – 4 days off, 1 PTO day used
October: Indigenous Peoples’ Day – October 12-14th, 3 days off, 0 PTO days used
November: Veterans Day – November 9-11th – 3 days off, 0 PTO days used
November: Thanksgiving – November 28-December 1 – 4 days off, 1 PTO day used
December: Christmas week: December 21-29th, 9 days off in a row, 4 PTO days used

Now that you can see all the Federal Holidays laid out and how to use them to maximize your time off, you want make sure to request your time off as soon as you can. Everyone has different reasons for wanting time off, but Christmas is likely one of the bigger times of the year people want off to be with family and friends.

If you could only pick a few times to get away, I would aim for those longer stretches in June and December. They are both in the halfway marks of the year and you get the most amount of time off.

I know a lot of you based on conversations get closer to five to six weeks of PTO a year off. If you want to utilize all that time, add those extra dates on in December between the Christmas and New Years weeks as there are four weekend days and two federal holidays sandwiched in there.

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Turning 15 days of PTO into 54 in 2024:

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