How to Maximize Vacation Days in 2023 -

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. employee receives on average 11 vacation days per year. This is hardly enough time to relax and reset. So how do you maximize the number of vacation days in 2023?

We are going to show you how to make the most of your vacation days in 2023 so you can take advantage of every opportunity for full adventure and relaxation.

It has been proven that taking vacation time has physical and mental health benefits. Those that take vacations have lower stress, less risk of heart disease, a better outlook on life, and more motivation to achieve goals.

Maximize Federal Holidays

If the U.S. average number of vacation days is 11 days approximately 2 work weeks, so how do we maximize this to be able to enjoy more time to enjoy life. Well the answer is to leverage the Federal Holidays to extend our 11 days.

There are 12 Federal Holidays that are scheduled to fall during Monday through Friday with the at least five of them occuring on a Monday. This is the best option is to use these days to extend the weekends to be a vacation opportunity.

Let’s take a look at each of these opportunities and identify which ones work for you…

January

Martin Luther King Day (January 16) is a Monday holiday giving you two options:

5 Day Vacation: Take January 12th (Thursday) & January 13th (Friday) before the holiday. This will give you a 5 day vacation. Look for flights on the Wednesday evening and be able to relax starting Thursday. (2 vacation days)
9 Day Vacation: Take January 17th (Tuesday) through January 20th (Friday) as vacation days and this will give you a full 9 days of vacation when you start your vacation on Saturday, January 14th to Sunday, January 22nd. (4 vacation days)

February

President’s Day (February 20th) is a Monday holiday which provides you with two additional options as well:

5 Day Vacation: By taking February 16th and 17th (Thursday & Friday) you will have a 5 day vacation opportunity. (2 vacation days)
9 Day Vacation: Take February 21st to February 24th as vacation days and this will give you a 9 day vacation to seek somewhere warm to cure the winter dulldrums. (4 vacation days)

May

Memorial Day (May 29th) is another Monday holiday providing the same two options:

5 Day Vacation: Take May 25th & 26th (Thursday & Friday) giving you a 5 day vacation while only utilizing 2 vacation days. (2 vacation days)
9 Day Vacation: Take May 30th to April 2nd as vacation days, this will give you a 9 day vacation while using 4 vacation days. (4 vacation days)

June

Juneteenth (June 19th) is a Monday Federal Holiday giving the same two options as other Monday holidays:

5 Day Vacation: Take June 15th & 16th (Thursday & Friday) allowing for a 5 day vacation. (2 vacation days)
9 Day Vacation: Take June 20th to 23rd as vacation days, this provides you another opportunity for a 9 day vacation. (4 vacation days). This gives you a great opportunity to take a family vacation if your children happen to be out of school.

July

Independence Day (July 4th) falls on a Tuesday this year. This gives you two options:

4 Day Vacation: Take Monday, July 3rd to make an extended weekend, giving you a 4 day vacation. (1 vacation day)
9 Day Vacation: Take Monday, July 3rd and July 5th to 7th as vacation days. Start your vacation on Saturday to Sunday, July 9th giving you a 9 day summer holiday. (4 vacation days)

September

Labor Day (September 4th) is another Monday holiday, providing you with the same two options of a 5 or 9 day vacation:

5 Day Vacation: Take August 31st and September 1st (Thursday & Friday) as vacation days and have an extended weekend. (2 vacation days).

9 Day Vacation: Take September 5th to 8th for a 9 day vacation starting on Saturday, September 2nd. (4 vacation days).

October

U.S. Indigenious People Day/Columbus Day (October 9th) is a Monday holiday providing two Fall vacation opportunities:

5 Day Vacation: Take October 5th & 6th (Thursday & Friday) as vacation days and have an extended weekend. (2 vacation days)
9 Day Vacation: Take October 10th to 13th for a 9 day vacation to enjoy the Fall season. (4 vacation days)

November

Veteran’s Day (November 10th) is a Friday holiday. Allowing for another opportunity for a vacation combination.

9 Day Vacation: Take November 6th to 9th for a 9 day vacation. (4 vacation days).

Thanksgiving Weekend (November 23rd & 24th) is a Thursday and Friday holiday.

9 Day Vacation: Take November 20th to 22nd for a 9 day vacation. (3 vacation days)

December

Christmas Day (December 25th) is a Monday allowing for vacation days to be used for the remainder of the week.

10 Day Vacation: Take December 26th to 29th for a 10 day vacation from the Saturday before Christmas to New Year’s Day. (4 vacation days)

Working Remotely

If you are lucky enough to work remotely, there are so many opportunities to travel and take a mini break. A change of scenery is always rejuvenating.

The key is to find a place with excellent and secure WIFI providing you with the opportunity to work remotely during the day and explore and vacation in the afternoon.

In today’s day and age of hybrid work, your boss may not even care where you are located as long as you are getting your work done. The best part is that you get the opportunity to relax in the afternoons and not use any of your vacation days.

Find some things to consider when working remotely and traveling in this article.

The Heart of the Matter

The basic heart of the matter is that although you may receive a certain number of vacation or PTO days, make sure that you make the most of the Federal Holidays and working remotely to get the most bang for your vacation day. There are 12 opportunities within the year to be able to extend your time and live every moment. Whatever your favorite season is there is a holiday to expand your time and enjoy.

How to make travel easier and Travel recommendations….

TSA PreCheck will make traveling through security easier if you plan on traveling this year. Check out our Destinations for some vacation ideas.

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