Taking one or two longer breaks back in the early summer months might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but if it has left you without the option of any three-day weekends, (essential for ticking off your entire Christmas shopping list in one go), then you might want to be a bit more tactical with how you spend your annual leave next year.

Whether you crave a city break to attend theatres in London, or if you prefer a rural retreat sampling a selection of  pubs in Ambleside, Lake District, you can fit a lot in to the year beyond your 9–5 routine. With the end of the holiday year approaches, many UK workers are gearing up for the long pre-Christmas stint without any additional days off left.

Schedule plans ahead of time

Most UK employees are entitled to 25 days of annual leave, as well as bank holidays. With this in mind, preparing ahead of time can prove beneficial when it comes to maximising your annual leave. Having something to look forward to is always a good feeling, and by getting your diary ready for the new holiday year, you will know how to prepare.

Over a five-day working week, this means you could potentially take five weeks off work. However, if you plan ahead and factor in any prior commitments — for example, if you already know you’re attending three of your friends weddings in 2020, then take this into account before you use up the remainder of your holiday allocation.

What can we expect from 2020?

So, you’ve got a few dream destinations in mind, now it’s time to fill up your calendar with those all-important dates. We all know how a certain few colleagues can develop a tendency to become rather competitive when it comes to beating the crowds and getting their holidays in well ahead of time — find out when your workplace holiday year begins and make sure to get your days submitted ahead of time.

We all look forward to the first of the year’s bank holidays, and in 2020, take your holidays tactically and you could enjoy a supersized Easter break. Good Friday is the 10^th of April next year, and Easter Monday falls on the 13^th. So, if you book from the 6^th–9^th of April off, then the 14^th–17^th, including weekends you’ll have amounted a hefty 16 consecutive days of ‘out of office’ auto-replies. As we approach May, you’ll have another opportunity to make the most of your annual leave. Usually, the earliest holiday would fall on a Monday but in 2020, May Day will be a Friday 8^th May. So, get your holiday request in for the 4^th–7^th May and you’ll have eight days of relaxation from 2^nd–10^th to enjoy. This could be the perfect time to enjoy your first city break or rural retreat of the year.

The second May bank holiday falls on the 25^th May, so if you’re already keen to put your ‘out of office’ on again, then you’ll want to book from the 26^th–29^th May off, giving you the 23^rd–31^st May as holiday. So far, that’s 34 days off including weekends, using only 16 days of your annual leave.

While the August bank holiday always feels ever so slightly bittersweet, knowing that it’s the last one before Christmas. So, it is a great opportunity to squeeze one last getaway in! It falls on Monday 31^st August in 2020, so take the 1^st–4^th off and book your last-minute escape from the 29^th August–6^th September — before it gets into hat and scarf season and time for you to take out your windproof umbrella! When the festivities do begin, the December countdown always feels like a long slog amid the rush of Christmas shopping. When it’s finally time for the Christmas office shutdown to begin and if you’ve got a couple of days leave to spare, then consider booking the 21^st–24^th December off, as well as 29^th–1^st January. That way, you’ll enjoy a leisurely two weeks off to recoup after the fun of the festive season. Some offices do already account for Christmas, giving employees time off in between, but if you’ve got any leave left to take then this is the time to use it!

However you use your time out of the office, make it go the extra mile in 2020 by following this tactical guide! The only thing we can’t provide a solution for is the dreaded return — but think of how refreshed you’ll feel after all those long days away!