These are the top days to book annual leave in 2026 according to an expert
She provided top hacks on how to use your annual leave for 'guilt-free relaxation while career momentum is maintained'
A life coach has offered tips on when to use your annual leave in 2026
(Image: Getty Images )
A life and productivity coach has looked ahead to 2026 to provide top tips on how to secure your preferred annual leave dates and make the most of your time off. The eCommerce marketing specialists at NOVOS have interviewed Kasia Siwosz, who shared the days employees should book their annual leave to maximise their holiday.
Kasia's number one tip for making the most of annual leave in 2026 is to book extra days around bank holidays. She explained: 'In 2026, we're gifted with eight bank holidays that fall conveniently near weekends, like Good Friday on April 3 and Easter Monday on April 6. Pairing those with additional days off gives you nearly a week on only a handful of annual leave days.
"If circumstances allow, arrange them to coincide with less frenetic project periods or following deal closure. This is guilt-free relaxation while career momentum is maintained.'
She explained how one of the best hacks is to 'bridge' public holidays with annual leave days. For instance:
Take annual leave on Tuesday, May 5 to Friday, May 8, right after the early May bank holiday on Monday, May 4. You'll get nine days off for the price of four, since it spans two weekends.
Another big win is the Christmas to New Year period in 2026. Since Christmas Day (Friday, December 25) and Boxing Day (Saturday, December 26, celebrated on Monday 28) create a long weekend, you can book off 29, 30, and 31 December off and enjoy a whole ten-day reboot into 2027, starting fresh on Monday, January 5.
New Year's Day falls on Thursday, January 1, therefore taking Friday, January 2 off equates to four consecutive days.
Another is to consider, she said, was taking off Monday, March 16 to Friday, March 20.
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The coach said: "This is the middle of a slow month early in the spring and is perfect for refilling your tank before Q2 stress begins to build. You can also use "micro-holidays" half days or even scheduled digital detox weekends to maintain your reservoir of resilience throughout the year.
'Always unplug, don't half-holiday by staying connected to Slack. Establish boundaries, hand off the baton, and give your brain a reset. It will be worth it when you return with enhanced productivity. I'm also seeing a rise in 'location-lite' working, people who will take annual leave that blends seamlessly into work-from-abroad setups.
"A popular trend among tech professionals and consultants is to take a long weekend off in a destination like Lisbon or Dubrovnik, then work remotely for a few days to extend the experience without using extra holiday days. I also hope to see more professionals place mental health at the top of their agenda, going for solitary retreats or digital detox holidays in off-peak times like mid-September or late February.'
The days NOT to book off in 2026
The coach added: 'I'd generally recommend against single mid-week days like Wednesday, March 11 or Tuesday, June 23 unless you're booking them for personal milestones.
"Single days disrupt work flow and are rarely worth it to take enough rest to balance out the admin of leaving.
"Also, don't book off during industry-critical windows for example, lots of law firms close time off during quarter-end closings (late March, June, September, and December). Scheduling around those times can put pressure on your employees and make it harder to fully disconnect.
'Look for potential longer breaks (e.g., around May 25-29, post-late May bank holiday) when the 2026 public holiday calendar is released. Besides assisting you in coordinating with teams and clients, it also gives something to look forward to, which research has proven can enhance mood and drive.
"The added transparency helps your teammates plan workloads and avoid conflicting key absences.'
Operations director at NOVOS, Olivia Royce, said: 'We underestimate how much our environment impacts our performance. A few days off can do wonders for your mental energy... and that energy always finds its way back into your work.
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"At NOVOS, we design our benefits around that philosophy- including our unlimited holiday policy - whether it's spontaneous summer Fridays or planning time off around the bank holidays, we encourage our team to actually enjoy the flexibility we offer. We would always take happy, recharged employees over burnout any day.'
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