Australians are notoriously hardworking. With Aussie employees working an average of 1,712 hours a year, we are among the top 20 hardest-working countries in the world.
When we’re giving it all we’ve got, we simply must remind ourselves to take breaks and make the most of our annual leave to avoid burnout. Aussies typically get around 20 days of paid annual leave each year, which is a good amount of time, however, if you know your way around a calendar, you can quite easily double your amount of paid time off.
How, you ask? By cleverly booking annual leave either side of your state’s predetermined public holidays. With the help of Instant Offices, we’re bringing you the exact dates to take off in 2021 to double your annual leave, so you can take more time off, enjoy longer holidays, and make the most of your opportunities to see Australia (and hopefully the world) in 2021.
Just be sure to get in quick before your colleagues figure you out.
December 2020/January 2021 —
Book three days of annual leave for a 10-day holiday.
Make the most of the Christmas and New Year break by booking three days of annual leave in the week that follows the festive season.
Travel between:
Friday, 25 December – Sunday, 3 January
Book these dates:
Tuesday, 29 December
Wednesday, 30 December
Thursday, 31 December
January 2021 —
Book four days of annual leave for a nine-day holiday.
Book cleverly around the Australia Day public holiday by booking annual leave either side.
Travel between:
Saturday, 23 January – Sunday, 31 January
Book these dates:
Monday, 25 January
Wednesday, 27 January
Thursday, 28 January
Friday, 29 January
April 2021 —
Book four days of annual leave for a 10-day holiday.
Enjoy an Easter break and make the most of the last warm days by booking annual leave around two public holidays.
Travel between:
Friday, 2 April – Sunday, 11 April
Book these dates:
Tuesday, 6 April
Wednesday, 7 April
Thursday, 8 April
Friday, 9 April
April 2021/May 2021 —
Book four days of annual leave for a nine-day holiday.
The ANZAC Day public holiday presents your last opportunity for hacking holidays until the end of 2021. Make the most of it!
Travel between:
Saturday, 24 April – Sunday, 2 May
Book these dates:
Tuesday, 27 April
Wednesday, 28 April
Thursday, 29 April
Friday, 30 April
December 2021/January 2022 —
Book three days of annual leave for a nine-day holiday.
The festive period is brimming with travel opportunities. Get in quick before your colleagues and book these dates for a generous break.
Travel between:
Saturday, 25 December – Sunday, 2 January
Book these dates:
Wednesday, 29 December
Thursday, 30 December
Friday, 31 December
Of course, individual states and territories will have their own additional public holidays that you can make the most of in booking annual leave.
In June, when the Queen’s Birthday holiday occurs on Monday, 14 June, you can enjoy another nine-day break in exchange for four annual leave days.
In Victoria, Melbournians can make the most of the AFL Grand Final Friday holiday, and could theoretically swap four days of annual leave for yet another nine-day break.
It all comes down to being savvy, and really looking into which of the days you take off will bring the highest reward for your travel time periods.