As the year approaches its end, our work lives can start feeling a little stale. Perhaps work is reaching its monotonous peak or your weekly highlights are the metaphorical spreadsheet pile you begin to make a dent in.
We get it, it’s time for a break, or to start planning your breaks for next year. But not like a weekend, like as much as you can get your hands on. With all eyes starting to breach the 2025 calendar, it’s time to prep yourself with the key public holiday dates to maximise your 2025 annual leave. That way, you can extend your time away by using as little of your annual leave as possible – consider it the savvy young professional’s handbook for work-life balance. So, how can you make the most of your holidays in 2025?
Utilise long weekends and public holidays
Who doesn’t want a longer break? By scheduling wisely, you can take advantage of long weekends to lengthen your vacation days. Use a 2025 diary to highlight which weekends have a public holiday attached to them, and begin writing down what potential holidays you might want to take around these dates.
If you’re going on holiday locally or taking a camping trip, a long weekend might be all you need to get enough space from your regular routine without using any of your annual leave. Or you can easily create a four-day holiday by taking one day of annual leave. This works well if the public holiday is during the week.
For example, ANZAC day in 2025 lands on a Friday, which makes for the perfect time to get away for three days. However, in other years, it has landed on a Thursday or Tuesday. By taking the Friday or Monday off respectively, you could land four days off while only exchanging one day of annual leave.
Study your state’s public holiday calendar
Now, we’re conscious of adding more tasks to your list, but jumping onto your state’s public holiday calendar outlines which dates you’ll have off in 2025. Your diary should have these public holidays mapped out, but some are state-specific, so it’s best to cross-check these before planning. With these mapped out in your diary, it’s time to get savvy by using the tip above to maximise your leave. When you know which extra days you’d like to take off around these public holidays, book your leave as soon as possible so they can be accepted and you can start planning.
Review your accrued annual leave
Start by refreshing yourself on how many days of annual leave you have currently accrued and how many you will have when 2025 rolls over. National Employment Standards mandate that employers should give you at least 4 weeks. Shift workers, those who are rostered seven days a week, working during weekends or public holidays, are eligible for five weeks.
Make your holidays weekend-inclusive
For many, annual leave equals a trip away from home. Going on a trip and exploring a part of the world you’ve always wanted to see is a great way to spend your days.
Missing European summer? Head out to the Amalfi Coast to soak in that sunshine. Asia is another option to immerse yourself in culture and try unique dishes. Maybe Japan is next on your list, where you can learn all about the ways of a samurai and eat delicious sashimi afterwards. There are so many places to see and explore, and booking your flights early to get the best deal possible is always a good idea.
When planning a week-long holiday, utilise the two weekends on either side of the week. For example, if you leave Friday night after work and return the following Sunday you’ll have a whopping 9 days to work with while only using five days of annual leave.
Get out on the roadÂ
Wanting to forego international travel but want to see something beautiful? Look no further than your own corner of the world, because there are so many wonderful places to visit that you can reach by car. If your company allows it, you could even do some work on the road. Travelling to other areas of the country while working remotely will help you minimise how much annual leave you need to use.
Within the sunny state of Queensland, why not check out Rainforest Way to see World Heritage rainforests? The journey takes you through southeast Queensland to northern New South Wales. Going a little further, you can see the snowy mountains of Kosciuszko Alpine Way that are sure to blow your mind.
If you’re up for the challenge and have the annual leave to use, you can drive all the way to the other end of the country to see Western Australia’s famous pink lake. There will be few stories to tell your grandkids like the one where you hopped around the entire country living off snacks and your favourite playlists. Though, do remember to be prepared for situations like a flat tyre if you’ll be covering long distances.
Take time for yourselfÂ
Work can often feel like wading through a never-ending list of tasks. Burnout is real, and something we should always be conscious of.
Sometimes, a trip can cause stress that we’re not willing to add to our lives. Taking some time to just chill and do the things you love is a pristine way to maximise your annual leave. It’s like plugging yourself into a well-being charger. Read your books, work on your upcycling or crochet projects or get horizontal in front of your favourite TV shows.
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Maximising your annual leave helps you take as many prolonged breaks as you can fit in a year, all while continuing to save for whatever financial goals you have. It doesn’t take much. A quick study of your state’s public holidays, a diary to map out your year and jumping on to some travel sites to begin planning your dream year. Bon voyage.
