Leave hacks to maximise your downtime in 2026

Published on 3rd March, 2026 at 09:00 am

Plan ahead to maximise public holidays in 2026 so you can enjoy longer stretches of downtime, using your leave days strategically. We’ll show you how.

Reading time: 3 minutes

In this article, you will learn:

• How to use your leave days strategically to boost time off.
• How to prepare for your leave.
• What to consider before putting in leave.
• Ideas on how to spend your leave

A not-so mini holiday, anyone?

It’s no secret that the first few months of the year can be brutal: it’s all hands on deck, and the pressure is on to set the tone for the year ahead. So come quarter two, no one would blame you for wanting to take a breather – and a little planning means you’ll always have a break to look forward to in the not-too-distant future. Here’s how to maximise your leave around public holidays in 2026.

April & May 2026: 7 days’ leave, 19 days off

Taking four days of leave immediately before or after the Easter weekend (Friday, 3 April to Monday, 6 April) means you get a sweet 10-day stretch of glorious downtime for only four days of annual leave. And you wouldn’t need to wait long for another break thereafter.

Freedom Day is on Monday, 27 April, while Worker’s Day is on Friday, 1 May – which means you get nine days off for the price of three leave days.

June 2026: 4 days’ leave, 9 days off

Tuesday, 16 June is Youth Day, which means if you put in four days of leave (15, 17, 18 and 19 June) you’ll get to enjoy nine days off.

August 2026: 4 days’ leave, 9 days off

Again, thanks to Women’s Day being observed on Monday, 10 August, if you apply for leave on 11, 12, 13, and 14 August, you’ll get yet another nine days off.

September 2026: 4 days’ leave, 9 days off

You might want to skip a break in August and take one in September rather, because there are no public holidays to take advantage of again until December. Heritage Day falls on Thursday, 24 September, providing another opportunity to maximise your leave.

What to consider before putting in leave

There are a few things to consider before putting an entire year’s worth of leave in one go.

• Manage your workload responsibly: if you take two stretches of leave in April, with preparations and handovers, this could add a lot of extra pressure when you get back from leave. Additionally, be mindful of how extended leave could impact colleagues.
• It may increase the pressure when you return: taking a lengthy break from work means when you return the pressure to catch up may be quite intense. Remember, don’t take leave if it will cause burnout when you return.
• It may shorten your December holidays: if you take all your annual leave days throughout the year, you’ll have none left to enjoy the December holidays.

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