How to Maximize your Vacation Time
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You are all here because you are slaving away in the corporate world and you want to know how to maximize that hard earned vacation time. In this episode of the Passports and Coffee Podcast we are going to break down how we use and maximize our PTO (vacation time) throughout the year. Included in this episode are our top ten tips on how to use vacation days wisely and maximize your paid time off.
I know you are dying to know all of our top tips on how you can start maximizing your PTO but before we get into how you can wisely use your vacation time, I have a few alarming facts that I want to share with you.
On average, Americans receive 10-14 day of vacation time not including holidays or sick days. Two weeks for a full year is not a lot of time so it’s important to use that PTO wisely. But what if I told you that 55% of Americans do not use all of that PTO in a year. You’re shocked right? I am in disbelief that anyone would leave vacation days on the table, but it happens. In fact it happens so often that in 2018, American workers failed to use 768 million days of PTO!
I think it is safe to say that Americans are under-vacationed and we want to change that. I am sure you are now probably thinking, there is no way that millennials are not taking advantage of their vacation time but that’s simply not true. Millennials are the most likely to feel nervous, guilty, afraid or shameful to request time-off. I know that I personally feel guilty some times taking so much vacation time throughout the year because I simply hate having my team work short.
But thats a mindset that we need to shift away from. Do you know why? Because PTO is not a gift. You earned it! It’s part of your compensation for working. So let’s dive into how you can maximize your limited PTO so you can live a more balanced life.
10 tips on how to maximize your vacation time
1. Linking strategy
One of the easiest ways to maximize your vacation time is linking a PTO day or two to a holiday or long weekend.
If you are lucky enough to work for a company that offers long weekends around a holiday or you receive days off for a “bank” holiday, I would suggest taking a PTO day either before or after those days off to extend your vacation time. Adding a PTO day or two will allow you to have more time off which will allow you to take a long vacation without having to use a full week of PTO.
2. Take Advantage of long weekends
You know that you don’t need a full week off in order to travel right? In fact long weekends are a great way to get out of town for a few days without using any PTO. I know way too many people who complain about not being able to travel because of their lack of vacation time or funds and my response to that is start taking advantage of the time you already have.
If you have the luxury of having 3-4 days off because of a long weekend, I say take advantage of that time off and escape. If you are short on time, I recommend taking a local getaway that is 2-3 hours away. One option is looking into renting a Getaway House.
Getaway House is the perfect getaway for my corporate world millennials. Getaway House offers tiny cabins with locations throughout the U.S. located within 2 hours from major cities. Check out their website to see if there is a location near you!
Cheraya and I have both personally stayed at a Getaway House location and think it is the perfect way to escape the stress of the corporate world. If interested use this link to receive $25 off your first stay at any Getaway House location!
Check out our YouTube videos below to see if this is something that you would enjoy. Want a more in depth review on Getaway House? Check out my blog post where I break down what it is like to stay at a Getaway House with my true and honest opinion.
3. Consider a flight after work
What day you travel on is a huge factor when trying to maximize your PTO. Have you ever considering saving a day of vacation time by traveling right after work? This doesn’t just include flights but also if you are driving to your destination. Why waste a whole day of traveling when you can travel after you leave work. This will buy you a whole extra day of vacation without wasting a PTO day on travel time.
4. Choose Flight Times Wisely
Most destinations are going to require you hopping on a plane. If you need to fly to your destination, I would consider your flight times wisely. If there is a direct flight, that is obviously preferable. Direct flights will save you time which in return will allow you to maximize your vacation time. But I would also recommend looking into red-eye flights.
I am a huge fan of red-eye flights. They are my favorite because it allows me to have an extra full day without losing out on a day of vacation for travel. Most red-eye flights will leave late at night which will give you a full day to explore, you sleep on the plane and can head straight to work once you land. Is it ideal? No. But if you want to prioritize travel and are short on PTO, this is a great option.
5. Consider Local Destinations
Local destinations are often times overlooked but it’s a great way to escape the stress of daily life. When most people think of taking a vacation or holiday, they think they need to travel to this big grand destination and that simply is not true. If you open your mind up to local travel, you will be surprised at how many amazing destinations there are within driving distance from you.
Cheraya and I are huge advocates for local travel. We both live in The Midwest and love exploring our own backyards and sharing them with our respective audiences. Both Michigan and Minnesota. Just like the rest of The Midwest, they are often times over looked as travel destinations but there is fun to be had all year round. I suggest that you take the time to research and see what your “backyard” has to offer.
So how do you find local destinations and fun things to do? One way I find fun local activities and new destinations is by following all of Michigan’s tourism boards on social media. Tourism boards for smaller locations always share seasonal activities and things to do in the area. I also follow destination specific influencers as well.
6. Spread Out your PTO throughout the year
If you are someone who receives a limited amount of PTO throughout the year, my next tip is to spread out that PTO wisely throughout the year. I am a firm believer in taking PTO during every season because let’s face it we all need a little break throughout the year. And if you use all of your PTO in the first quarter of the year, you are going to be jealous as you watch all of your friends and colleagues go on vacation without you.
A tip that I can suggest is, as the year is ending, plan for the following year. Around October I always sit down and plan where I would want to travel to and see how I can fit that into my work schedule and plan how much vacation time I will need. When you have a loose plan in place you can better use that PTO throughout the year.
7. Off season travel
Have you ever considered traveling in the off season? Yes it may come with less than perfect travel conditions but there are far more advantages than disadvantages, in my opinion.
One major advantage? You won’t have to fight for vacation time. Have you ever put in vacation time only to have it not approved? We’ve all been there and that isn’t fun. Over the years, I have learned that summer is the most popular season for people to take PTO and instead of hoping my vacation time will get approved, I travel in the off and shoulder seasons instead.
Not only does this guarantee approval of your PTO but this also comes with cheaper accommodations and flight deals. And who doesn’t love cheap accommodation and a good flight deal?
8. Extend a Business trip
Do you travel for business? If you do, this is a great way to travel and explore a new location. I would definitely take advantage of your time while in that location but I would also see if you can extend that business trip in any way. For example, if you are due to come home on Friday, see if you can extend til Sunday. Or is it possible to add a day of PTO so you can explore that city you are in?
9. Hotel/Flight Deals
We all love a good hotel or flight deal and this can help you plan a trip that you never thought you could take. If you can only take one trip a year, why not make it an epic one? I would suggest signing up for google flight alerts or check out Skyscanner to see where the cheapest flight is from your home airport.
There are also membership services such as Scott’s Cheap Flights that will send you flight deals right to your email. I am also a firm believer in being loyal to an airline. Receiving airline status comes with a lot of perks such as flight deals and complimentary upgrades. I would also consider signing up for a credit card with travels perks. Below are just a few credit cards that we recommend with some of the best travel perks.
If you want more information on the best credit cards with travel perks, check out The Points Guy. They break down each card with both pros and cons to help you choose what will be best for you.
10. Take half days
This is perfect for all of my corporate world millennials who work in an office setting. I personally do not have the luxury of taking a half day but I am so extremely jealous of those who can.
If you have the ability to take half days, I would take advantage of this perk to extend your time off. You can use this half day to travel to your destination to help save time and PTO.
We are firm believers in taking advantage of your hard earned PTO. It is something that we work hard for. We all deserve a vacation and time off from our daily stressors. And as a reminder, PTO is not a gift, it is our compensation for working hard.
I hope that you found all ten of these tips on how to effectively maximize your vacation time to be helpful. Not only are they easy and practical ways to start maximizing your PTO, but it helps you start escaping the 9-5 one trip at a time. So let me know, which tip are you going to start incorporating so you can book your next trip?
Thank you for listening!
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Kayla
Hi travel besties! My name is Kayla, your co-host for the Passports and Coffee Podcast. I'm a registered nurse, fur mama, coffee lover and in a monogamous relationship with Delta airlines. When I am not traveling abroad you can find me in my home state of Michigan planning my next grand adventure!