How to maximise annual leave 2026

 

Four weeks annual leave just doesn’t sound enough, especially if you’re planning a two week break over Christmas and New Year. It only leaves you a fortnight to take a decent holiday at another time in the year.

 

With preparation and thought, however, you can maximise your annual leave in 2026and more than double your paid time off. Potentially triple it.

 

Our tips below show you how to maximise your annual leave by taking advantage of public holidays and weekends. With these annual leave hacks for 2026, you can really expand your breaks and give yourself more time to recharge properly and do your best work.

 

To extend the feeling of being on holidays, align the time you take off with weekends and public holidays. By strategically approaching your standard 20 days of annual leave, you’ll unlock more time off. What’s more, by cleverly positioning your annual leave dates adjacent to Australian public holidays, you’ll double – possibly triple – your time off without resorting to having to take unpaid leave. 

 

Follow the plan below and turn your full 20 days of allowance for 2026 into nearly 60 days off across six meaningful breaks. Keep in mind, you’ll need to have a few days left over from your 2025 annual leave balance, but turning 20 days into 59 days off is an opportunity that's simply too good to miss.

 

Here are the best dates to book time off in 2026.

 

In 2025, Christmas Day falls on a Thursday and Boxing Day on Friday, giving you a long weekend to start with. By taking Monday 29, Tuesday 30 and Wednesday 31 December 2025 off, along with Friday 2 January 2026, you can enjoy an extended summer break over the New Year period.

 

Your 10-day break: Book four days of annual leave and enjoy 10 days off in a row from Wednesday 24 December 2025 through to Friday 2 January 2026.

 

Australia Day 2026 – take four days to enjoy nine in a row

Easter and ANZAC Day 2026 combined – take four days off and enjoy 10 in a row

King’s Birthday 2026 – take four days annual leave and enjoy nine in a row

Labour Day 2026 – take four days annual leave and enjoy nine in a row

Christmas 2026 and New Year’s 2027 – book three days to get 12 in a row

 

This plan uses your full 20 days of annual leave for 2026, plus three carry-over days from 2025. In return, you’ll enjoy six decent breaks that together total nearly 60 days, including weekends — plenty of time to rest, travel or simply reset.

 

Annual leave is a longstanding entitlement in Australian workplaces. In Australia, annual leave entitlements are part of Australia’s National Employment Standards.

 

According to the Fair Work Ombudsman, full-time workers in Australia are due four weeks paid annual leave. Part-time employees receive the equivalent based on their hours of work. For example, if a part-time employee works two and a half days per week, they receive 10 days (half) annual leave.

 

Beyond the mandated entitlements, many organisations now offer additional leave options as further benefits for employees. For example, wellness days are now a common leave type offered over and beyond your standard 20 days, as is additional leave when working with an organisation for an extended number of years, or the ability to purchase more leave

 

If you’ve been saving your annual leave, it’s important to remember that taking regular, consistent breaks throughout the year helps manage your overall stress levels. Not doing so can lead to burnout.

 

The World Health Organisation recognises burnout as an ‘occupational phenomenon’. Burnout syndrome, it states, is the result of chronic workplace stress unsuccessfully managed. Symptoms include: 

 

Discover more tips on how to avoid burnout and improve work-life balance.

 

With a little strategic planning, you’ll be able to enjoy some proper breaks throughout the year. It often takes a few days to fully unwind, so these extended holidays give you the perfect opportunity to truly recharge.