Maximize vacation time in 2024 with scheduling tricks

HOUSTON - After the busy holidays, 'now' may be the time to think about taking a vacation. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show the average American worker, with five years at a company, gets 15 days of paid vacation, each year with those limited opportunities to get time away.

For some, those 15 days can be turned into more than three times that.

We are a nation of people who "do" and "don't" take time for ourselves, outside the workplace. There's not always encouragement to do so. In December, the CEO of online retailer Wayfair encouraged staff that blurring the line between work and life is the recipe for success, pushing them to put in more overtime.

TRAVEL: ‘Uber of flying’: Private plane trips are here – and flights cost from $102

It may be an extreme example, but workplace experts say taking time is healthy. "People that take their PTO are much better employees, much more content with their job, and ultimately more productive," says workplace consultant Joel Patterson, of The Vested Group.

He's not alone. Social media has been talking about making available days seem like so much more, with some novel strategies.

Assuming you do want to use your PTO or vacation days, try being strategic about how you plan them so that you feel like you're getting the full benefit of them. It begins with a question about scheduling a long week-plus vacation, versus a long weekend. Experts say there's a benefit to both of those scenarios.

Then, while a lot of people may do this, the social conversation focuses on using weekends and holidays to bridge vacation days to maximize time away. For example, in January, the Martin Luther King Day holiday falls on Monday, Jan. 15. Using one vacation day, on Friday, Jan. 12, yields a four-day long weekend. For a longer vacation, look to May's Memorial Day holiday on the 27th. Using four vacation days on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, along with weekends on either side, offers nine days away.

DOWNLOAD THE FOX 26 HOUSTON APP BY CLICKING HERE

Whatever the mix, experts think the conversation is about finding time and enjoying it more. "I think people are looking at it in a way that allows them to get more than a few days, in a row, off," says Patterson.

While recent Pew Research suggests nearly half of Americans don't use all their available vacation time, there is an opportunity for those who do. In the most extreme planning, those typical 15 vacation days can be turned into almost 50 days of personal time.

Time to look at a calendar.