Why work harder when you can holiday smarter? 2025 is your year. Outwit the calendar and turn your annual leave into the getaway jackpot!
Be honest – how many times have you started the year with high hopes for splendid holidays, only to find yourself stuck in endless meetings while your annual leave days fade away? Enough of that! It’s 2025, and it’s time to stop playing small and make your holiday dreams a reality. With a dash of clever planning, you can stretch those precious days off into perfect breaks – think sun-soaked getaways, Netflix marathons in your PJs, or city breaks that give your mates travel envy (of course, all while staying on HR's good side). Sound good? Keep reading, because we’ve got a proper plan to turn your annual leave into pure magic.
Tactical planning for your holiday goals
Confession time. Most people don’t really plan their annual leave. Are you one of those that wings it, takes random Fridays off, then wonders why you didn’t get time to recharge? Don’t be that person. Proper prior planning gives you real holiday wins. Whether that’s turning Easter into a 10-day getaway or crafting long weekends that feel like mini-vacations.
And how you can make that happen: check your office holiday calendar early to avoid overlapping with anyone else in your team. But don’t forget, long breaks aren’t indulgent – they’re scientifically proven (yes, really) to lower stress and increase productivity when you’re back at work. A win-win, right?
Bank holidays = your secret to more time off
Ah, our beloved bank holidays. These beauties are your cheat code to extra-long breaks that don’t waste too many of your annual leave days.
Here’s what you’re working with in 2025:
January: New Year’s Day (Wednesday 1 January)
April: Good Friday (18 April), Easter Monday (21 April)
May: Early May Bank Holiday (5 May), Spring Bank Holiday (26th May)
August: Summer Bank Holiday (25 August)
December: Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December), Boxing Day (Friday 26 December)
By piggybacking your annual leave onto these dates, you can make the most of a few longer holidays.
Month-by-month cheat sheet for leave
January – New Year’s leave
New Year’s Day is a Wednesday. What better excuse for a midweek breather? Take two additional days off (Thursday and Friday), and you’ve got yourself a five-day weekend right at the start of the year. New Year’s resolutions? Starting the year super well-rested!
April – Easter getaway
Easter weekend runs from Good Friday to Easter Monday (18 – 21 April), and here’s where it gets juicy. Book four days (22 – 25 April), and suddenly you’ve created a 10-day break using just FOUR of your annual leave days. That’s what we call holiday maths.
May – Spring break
This month is absolutely showered with bank holiday goodness, two of them, to be exact. The Early May Bank Holiday on the 5th and the Spring Bank Holiday on the 26th are yours for the taking. Book a few days around either (or both if you fancy splashing out) and enjoy the perfect springtime escape.
August – Summer sun soak up
Summer Bank Holiday is 25 August. By adding just four days of leave (26 –29), you’ll get nine glorious days to soak up some sunshine. Whether you’re jetting off to Ibiza or having picnics in Hyde Park, this screams summer vibes.
December
Christmas and Boxing Day fall on a Thursday and Friday this year, which means… you guessed it – another chance for an extended break! Throw in a few extra leave days, and you’ll sail from Christmas Eve straight into New Year’s celebrations, no awkward office small talk required.
Time off like a pro
Now that you know all the juicy holiday windows, it’s time to decide what you’re actually going to do with them. Feeling burnt out? Go for a staycation – spa days, off-grid cabins, or binge-watching your favourite series at home. Craving adventure? Jet off somewhere new! The world is your oyster, but here’s the golden rulebook early to avoid crying over sky-high travel prices.
Think about what you need from your time off. Is it pure relaxation, adrenaline-fuelled hikes, or a mix of the two? And never feel guilty about prioritising yourself. Rest is productive, and you’ve earned it!
Plan tight but stay chill
Holiday planning is like a Jenga game – all fun and games until it topples. So definitely keep a backup plan. Life throws curveballs (we’re looking at you, last-minute work crises), be ready to tweak your dates if needed.
And if you’re already getting the jitters thinking about your leave, check your workplace policy on rolling any unused days into 2026. That way, there’s no pressure to use up all your time off if your schedule doesn’t allow it this year. A little flexibility keeps the holiday stress at bay.
Your 2025 holiday master plan
Right, now it’s time to put all that knowledge to good use. Start by booking in those holiday dates before the office calendar looks like a game of Tetris.
Try a tool like Timetastic to take of your annual leave processes. With our handy calendar integration, you can check how your time off lines up with bank holidays and your teams’ schedules. We offer a 30-day free trial so you can test it out first!
Above all, remember you NEED time off. It’s not selfish, it’s self-care. You’ll not only come back refreshed and ready to smash it at work, but you’ll also create memories that last much longer than a random Tuesday meeting.
Why settle for meh weekends when you can turn your 2025 leave into a year packed with fun, relaxation, and adventure? A little planning goes a long way, and with our guide in hand, you're set to make the most of every single day off. Now stop dreaming and start planning! It’s time to book those holidays and live your best life. We’ll see you sipping cocktails on the beach or chilling in your onesie on your sofa soon enough!