Employees discuss hacks for getting the most out of vacation days at work: 'If you have a 9-5 job and don't plan on going on a vacation, schedule a three-day weekend for yourself every month'

Author image for Isabella Penn
Isabella Penn
Jun 14, 2024 9:00 AM EDT

If you're fortunate enough to get paid time off, you should be using it. Even if you don't have anything planned, it's nice to take a mental break every once in a while. But sometimes, we can find ourselves at the end of the year with extra PTO that we forgot to use. That can be nice if your PTO carries over onto the next year or if you get additional pay for not using those days. But a lot of companies don't allow that time to roll over. In any case, you should still use your time off wisely. Maybe you don't have enough time off to take a whole vacation, or maybe you can't afford to. Whatever your reason for keeping your days is, there are some clever ways to incorporate time off throughout the year. Below, these employees break down different ways they like to take a day off here and there. Whether it's by taking a Wednesday off to break up the week or taking a Friday and Monday off to get that extra-long weekend, they break down their reasonings below. 

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  • 01
    . r/LifeProTips • 16 hr. ago Ok_Pause9194 LPT If you have a 9-5 job and don't plan on going on a week or two vacation, schedule a reoccurring three day weekend for yourself every month.
    via u/Ok_Pause9194
  • 02
    It helps you out a lot mentally, it gives you something to look forward too every month, and it reduces burn out, and by the time you start work again which will be on a Tuesday, not only did you avoid the Monday blues, but you also start off with a shorter work week.
    via u/Ok_Pause9194
  • 03
    *Edit: Oh man I didn't think this post would blow up like it did! But I'm glad this is getting the attention that it needs. Work can be tuff man! We gotta remember to relax and not get too caught up in it.
    via u/Ok_Pause9194
  • 04
    RyanMark2318 • 20h ago I worked with a guy who never used his vacation time, but they rolled over every year, so he had something like 3 years saved up. Company changes the policy, they no longer roll over. So to use them up, he schedules it so he works 3 days a week for an entire year. Work one day, two days off, work 2 days, 2 days off. Genius
    via u/RyanMark2318
  • 05
    • epimetheuss ⚫20h ago Edited 8h ago i personally found the opposite and it burned me out taking a bunch of smaller 3 day weekends. Having a week off here or there really helped a lot more and allows me to fully decompress. It's also smarter to schedule your vacation on october - december of the previous year because no one tends to think that far ahead and you can really maximize all your vacation days by scheduling them on short work weeks :)
    via u/epimetheuss
  • 06
    edit: Based on the reactions form this it feels like more a LPT for employers for employees to take only 3 day weekends instead of proper vacations. It maximizes your availability for your job, your job that might just be in the middle of outsourcing your role and have not told you yet. Do not live for your company, live for yourself.
    via u/epimetheuss
  • 07
    mrgoldnugget • 21h ago 3 day? I actually use the day on the long weekends so I don't work Thursday. Then my week can flexible so I work tuesday to saturday the next week and take 5 days for the cost of 1 vacation day.
    via u/mrgoldnugget
  • 08
    Catspaw129 21h ago 4 day weekends work nicely too. Also, make that extra day a Monday (or, if opting for the four-day weekend: A Monday and a Tuesday) becasue as someone pointed out Friday afternoons slow down. Plus! If your work in IT (in my experience) new releases are pushed
    via u/Catspaw129
  • 09
    out Friday night. Do you really want to deal with the consequences? So: Monday and Tuesday win again! Additional hint: DON'T ANSWER YOUR PHONE; if it's important, they will leave a voice mail. And, by golly, you don't need to reply to a voice mail from work right away. Gotta go now. I've only got 10% left on my phone's battery and, you know, work might call.... my Cheers!
    via u/Catspaw129
  • 10
    Yingxuan1190 • 20h ago Take a Wednesday off too, that mid week break is wonderful.
    via u/Yingxuan1190
  • 11
    gnaark • 21h ago Yes and Friday is usually a chill day in the office so you really are working only 3 days that week.
    via u/gnaark
  • 12
    blenderdead • 20h ago My bosses are chill with me taking PTO, but if I were to basically ask for Fridays off for half a year.... That would be a conversation.
    via u/blenderdead
  • 13
    iwoketoanightmare • 19h ago I did that last year and it was glorious. This year I have/had several vacations planned out, the in between is dreadfully miserable. Would love a 4 day 32hr work week for the same pay and will absolutely vote for any politician that supports it.
    via u/woketoanightmare
  • 14
    zorro623 21h ago • I'm taking a week off next week. The reason that I put in the request? It's my dog's birthday!
    via u/zorro623
  • 15
    Clipboard4 . 21h ago Reason for leave: not going vacation. I guarantee i gonna get phone text from my boss on that day.
    via u/Clipboard4
  • 16
    shotbyroth . 21h ago This is a great tip. I had to burn through some leave recently and managed to work 4 day weeks for several months. Was great for wel being and aso felt like I had more to give when I was at work.
    via u/shotbyroth
  • 17
    SquidsInABlanket • 20h ago If I'm just taking a me day and not going anywhere, I always do it on a Wednesday so I only have to work two days in a row.
    via u/SquidsInABlanket
  • 18
    • EchoWhiskey 18h ago I agree with this post BUT, if you are going to take a day off, take the Friday off, not the Monday. A Monday off feels like a Sunday and that . But a Friday off feels like a Saturday which kicks
    via u/EchoWhiskey_
  • 19
    Responsible_Gap8104 • 20h ago On this topic: if you can manage it, schedule off a friday and a monday every once in a while. If your company does holidays off, and lets say the holiday is on a wednesday: take thursday and friday off. If its on a thursday, do a friday and monday. Sandwich those weekends with time off.
    via u/Responsible_Gap8104
  • 20
    DisasterDalek ⚫ • 20h ago I've done this for like 15 years. I do 4 day weeks. Take every other thursday off and have 4 days mini vacations every 2 weeks.
    via u/DisasterDalek
  • 21
    Fancy-Primary-2070 19h ago That is more vacation than many people have. Some people need to save it for funerals and doctors appointments.
    via u/Fancy-Primary-2070
  • 22
    . cicadasinmyears • 21h ago I get five weeks of vacation that I never get to take. For July and August, I don't work Fridays, using up eight or nine days depending on how the timing falls. I love having a four-day week when it's nice out.
    via u/cicadasinmyears
  • 23
    Brandonjoe82 . • 19h ago I do this sometimes. But I don't do it every week, since where I work if 1 person takes off nobody else can. So I didn't want to be taking all the Fridays off, leaving it so no other coworker could take a Friday off.
    via u/Brandonjoe82
  • 24
    ubergiles_van • 18h ago I'm sorry to down vote this, but I tried this myself, and it did not work. When you are gone one day a week, your co- workers leave your work for you for when you return and you end up doing 5 days work every 4 days. It does not reduce stress. If you take a week or two off, your work gets done by someone else while you're gone.
    via u/ubergiles_van
  • 25
    DirtyMudder92 • 20h ago I did this and got yelled out because I was "taking too many short weeks" and it was a flag to hr. Anyway I'm looking for a new job
    via u/DirtyMudder92
  • 26
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boss employee manager job work coworkers life hacks Office PTO employment vacation
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