It’s that time of year when you take a beat as Mariah Carey plays in the shopping centre and realise you’ve somehow churned through 12 months in the blink of an eye.
It’s also that time of year when the capitalist grind catches up with you and the promise of a well-earned break is all-too-alluring.
That’s why we’re coming in clutch with a bunch of annual leave hacks for 2026, so you can maximise your time away from the desk and go touch some grass. Because honestly, you deserve it, and I hear it’s very much greener on the other side.
Below, we’ve sifted through the key dates around 2026’s public holidays to take time away, allowing you to have multiple days off at a time without dipping too much into the annual leave bank.
Because if there’s one thing capitalism teaches us, it’s to game the system.
Here’s the 2026 public holidays we’re working with:
- Invasion Day, 2026.
- Easter Weekend, 2026.
- Christmas and New Years, 2026 – 2027.
Let’s get into it, shall we?
Invasion Day
It’s a controversial day at best, but for better or for worse, January 26 is still a public holiday. Next year, it falls on a Monday, meaning you can get nine days off by taking just four days of annual leave around January 26. Below are the dates to take annual leave for Invasion Day.
Dates off: Saturday, January 24 – Sunday, February 1.
Book annual leave: Tuesday, January 27 – Friday, January 30.
Time off: Nine days off (including weekends and public holiday) with four days annual leave.
Easter Weekend
That Easter bunny will be delivering both eggs and public holidays in early-April, 2026. If played right, you can get a 10-day break by utilising Good Friday and Easter Monday with just four days of annual leave. Ample time to deservedly stuff your face with chocolate. And pray, if that’s more your bag. Here’s how to do it.
Dates off: Thursday, April 3 – Sunday, April 12.
Book annual leave: Tuesday, April 7 – Friday, April 10.
Time off: 10 days off (including weekends and two public holidays) with four days annual leave.
Christmas and New Years
Remember how I mentioned Mariah Carey earlier? Well, you can listen to her on repeat (off the office AUX) for ten whole days while taking just three days annual leave across the Christmas and New Years period. When I was little, I thought 2027 would have flying cars. Now, I just think of it as a time to maximise my holidays. Gosh, we grow up so fast.
Dates off: Friday, December 25 – Sunday, January 3.
Book annual leave: Tuesday, December 29 – Thursday, December 31.
Time off: 10 days off (including weekends and three public holidays) with three days annual leave.
So there you have it folks, mark those calendars! And if you’re on your work laptop, maybe delete this article from your search history, because what your boss doesn’t know won’t hurt them. Now go and enjoy all your well-earned breaks, party people!
Lead image: Lionsgate
The post Here’s All The Annual Leave Hacks For 2026 To Maximise Your Time Off Work appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
