What do you use your Annual Leave for?

I usually take days off when I cant be a*sed to go to work.

I'd hazard a guess that at least 10 days of my annual leave is used because I just cant be bothered to go in.

I can see both sides really! I'd think I was 'wasting' my holidays though if I took two weeks off and did nothing, but then I suppose if he's after a rest! I only take time off when I've going on holiday, but towards the end of the year in November/December, I have to use up any remaining days, so will take some off either to go Christmas shopping or chill out.

This year as I've no big holidays planned I've taken more days off around weekends I've got things planned!. The hen weekends I'm away on I've taken the Friday, Monday and Tuesday off work! Monday as I'll still be hungover, and Tuesday can be more of a relaxing day!

Most of the time, I take holiday to go away (usually to see my family) but I do take odd days here and there just to relax.

I usually take a couple of days off when I'm performing in plays, cos it's really tiring working a full day, then going straight from work to do a performance.

i agree with this, in the past i only book leave if im going away, moving etc.

i may add a couple of days at the end of a holiday so i dont have to rush back to work though

I have always wanted to just take a day off because i couldn't be bothered going in, but then i always think i could use my days better. We don't always have things planned, but H and i do take long weekends a fair bit just to have a bit of time together.

In my last job i had so many days holiday, 30 infact, that i used to take days off to chill out, normally a Friday or Monday but now its only really if i have stuff to do!!!

I only work 12 hours a weeks so I only take holiday when I need it.

H uses about half of his for holiday type time (last year he took a week off after the wedding, although we didn't go anywhere and another 5 days in July so we could go to a festival). The rest tends to be a few days here and there for birthdays or appointments, and some he keeps in reserve as short notice days if I'm unwell or he needs to be home for some family purpose.

Same as Tricks.

I'd say it's half and half really. Some is used for a 'proper' holiday, some for random days (I have just booked a Friday off in March as I'm going to see JLS ?) but I do like to have a week off with no plans.

I have next week off and other than my anniversary and a trip to London I have no plans. And H will be working Wed/Thurs/Fri.

Holidays or things to do generally.

I have tomorrow and Friday booked off, partly as our holiday year ends next month and I still have days to take or lose them.

I am using these 2 days to finish the decorating...

If I just dont want to go into work, generally I will take a flexi-day. Annual Leave I use for holidays or days out with the boy. He has Thursdays off when he works a Saturday.

Normally for holidays, weekends away etc. I always feel guilty if I'm just sitting at home as I feel I should be in work! We also don't get paid for sick days, so on the rare occasion I need a day off sick, I'll take it as annual leave.

This year I'm a bit tight on holidays as I only have 20 during the year and I'm taking 15 for our wedding/honeymoon. In previous years, when I haven't needed so many days for a proper holiday, we've taken lots of Friday afternoons off for travelling to weddings, hen weekends etc. When I moved house, I took a couple of days off for cleaning, packing etc. Last year I took a couple of days off to attend weddingy things for my sister.

I usually book time off around our birthdays or when we're going on holiday or to Leeds festival. Other times me and OH will book random weeks off together and go out for odd days or just chill out. It's just better than being at work! We have to take all our holidays before the end of March, so often end up taking a few days off around this time, just to use our days up.

I'm on annual leave this week as it happens. It's my birthday tomorrow so I thought sod it I'm taking the week off as I had loads of hours to use up. I've used my time off to get stuck into the house, sorting out the DJ/buffet for our post wedding party in April, speaking with the registrar, oh and kicking my daughter out! It will be a strange birthday without her

I only ever take time off when Mr RB is off as well. I get so little in comparison to him, so I like to make the most of it.

CG - keep smiling and have a weirdy internet hug.

Also book annual leave on my bday and boy's bday - should be illegal to work on your birthday!

I book in my holidays that I need for going away and other things, and then if I have excess days me and H2B may take a week off together to do things around the house, or just have a fun week off together.

Last year I used two weeks (10 days) to volunteer in a local primary school, and I'm doing the same again for a week (5 days) next month, and then again for a week (5 days) in September - all in the hope of getting my PGDE application which I will submit in October accepted.

The rest of my leave is used for the wedding and honeymoon this year.

Self-employed so I just take days off when I need want them. OH takes a couple of weeks (normally coinciding with half-term) off just to wind down and have time away from work (he works 70+ hours most weeks in a very stressful job) and he takes off about 10 days over Christmas and a week off for our annual holiday

I get loads of holiday at work. 32 days in fact. and H only gets 25, so I tend to have a few days off here and there, maybe a Friday or Monday for a long weekend, or I will take a day to spring clean, or just relax.

Obviously I use the time for actual holibobs, but we will also take a few days off for a long weekend together every now and then, or just to have a day or two off.

I generally only book time off if we are doing something but will maybe add a day on to it to chill out if that makes sense? I often think it would be wonderful to have a whole day on sofa doing nothing but I find it hard to sit like that...end up feeling guilty / as though Ive wasted a day.

Saying that Im taking a long wkend at Easter & as yet have nothing planned but were both off so will do sthing.

I quite a agree with your work chum! I love booking a week off (when H isn't off) to have full access to the remote control, so I can watch all my "tripey" DVDs, and cd player. I love my H, I really do, but we don't always chill in the same way - my job can be quite stressful and busy, so just having time off, sitting and reading or listening to music is very restful to me.

I get more holiday's than H, so in Feb/March I often have to "use up" my remaining ones otherwise I lose them

Exactly this! Holidays are for holidays.

And 2 weeks off on your own???? I cannot comprehend this...

We get 25 days each, and quite simply couldn't afford to be on holiday for all of those days. We're not big on going abroad anyway, although we're saving up to visit my grandparents in Malaysia.

So I'd probably take a week or two for an actual (UK-based) holiday, and the rest would go on odd days off here and there. Sometimes it'd be to do something and other times I just want to give the flat a good deep clean or to veg out! I like to take the odd Friday off just as a treat.

I wouldn't take two weeks off just to sit at home, I'd personally much prefer to take off a few Thursdays/Fridays or Mondays to have long weekends. I'd probably get bored with two weeks off doing nothing.

I've always saved them for holidays or if I need to actually be somewhere etc. This year I'm saving most of them to take before I go off on Mat Leave.

Bit of a mixture. H and I have a week off together in September to go surfing, but he uses all the rest of his hols to spend with his offspring (my choice not to join in).

So I have 4 weeks a year to entertain myself! I usually spend a bit of time with my family and like ot have a week in the Spring to tidy up the garden and maybe do some things to the house. I enjoy spending time on my own so it's not a great hardship.

Well this year H will have about 12 weeks holiday - so he will definately have to spend some of them on his own! He also doesn't get to choose his - they are given to him.

I only have 20days holidady but can have my overtime back as either cash or time off - I always opt for time off because I don't have enough holidays and in December alone earnt 8 days back!

I book time off to spend with H - so just had a week off work for his R&R. I've 2 seperate weeks off later in the year when we will holiday, and then will have a long weekend in August too that i'll book time off for and then maybe the same around Xmas time. Then I've loads of H's events - his home coming parade, his medals parade, Annual race day, the day after a Mess do, and families day and goodness only knows what else too.

Mine are generally for holidays or for my volunteer work (fingers crossed I get reserve forces leave in whatever job I get after uni). That plus a couple of days for travelling to events/Christmas usually took up my allocation.

If I do keep reserve forces leave in whatever job I get after uni, it will give me an extra week or two so I'm not sure what I'll do then! Next year it'll probably go towards wedding/honeymoon I guess.