There’s absolutely nothing better than a few days off work, kicking your feet up, baking in the sunshine, and pretending your email inbox doesn’t exist. If you’re keen to get as much of these vibes as possible, and make the most of your time off in 2026, there’s a clever little hack that’ll help you turn your standard annual leave into double the holidays. With a bit of forward planning around public holidays, you can turn a handful of leave days into a fabulous stretch of long weekends and mini getaways scattered throughout the year.
Delay starting the year slightly with four days off at the start of January. Simply book January 2nd off to extend the New Year’s break into a well deserved long weekend after the chaos of the festive season. If that’s not enough, finish the month strong with an impressive nine days off by taking leave from January 27th to 30th. Thanks to the January long weekend from the 24th to the 26th, you’ll score yourself more than a week off to enjoy the summer vibes.
After a few months of hard work, April will definitely be calling for a much-needed autumn break. Take four days off from April 7th to 10th, and with the Easter public holidays beginning on April 3rd, you’ll stretch that into a long ten days away from your desk.
When winter rolls around, we’re sure a mid-year escape will be needed. Book four days of leave from June 9th to 12th, and with the King’s Birthday long weekend, you’ll unlock nine days off. This is the ideal time to chase the sun up north. At this time of year, we’re sure you’ll be wanting to ditch the puffer jackets and boots for cocktails by the pool, lazy beach days, and a solid break from Adelaide’s chill.
Come October, you can squeeze in another extended holiday by taking off October 6th to 9th. With the Labour Day public holiday falling on Monday, October 5th, you’ll have a chance to enjoy another nine-day stretch to relax before the festive season hits.
And when the year wraps up, there’s no better way to finish than with one final break. Take December 29th to 31st off after Christmas and score seven days of family time, BBQs, and summer fun to ring in the New Year.
In total, by booking just 20 days of annual leave and taking advantage of nine public holidays and 52 weekends, you’ll be kicking back for a whopping 133 days in 2026. Not bad for a bit of smart planning. So grab your calendar, lock in those dates, and get ready for a year that’s full of sunshine, sleep-ins, and plenty of time out of office.
Here’s your easy guide:
January 2026
Book off January 2nd
Total Break = 4 Days
January 2026
Book off January 27th to 30th
Total Break = 9 Days
April 2026
Book off April 7th to 10th
Total Break = 10 Days
June 2026
Book off June 9th to 12th
Total Break = 9 Days
October 2026
Book off October 6th to 9th
Total Break = 9 Days
December 2026
Book of December 29th to 31st
Total Break = 7 Days
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