1. If you're about to accept a job offer, ask about expanded PTO even if the company's policy is strict about not negotiating it.

Before you accept a job offer, you should talk to your future employer or HR manager about the PTO portion of your benefits package. This is especially important when you know you have major events coming up this year (a destination wedding, surgery, an anniversary, or that solo birthday trip you've been wanting to do for the past five years).

Negotiate for ample time to accommodate those special events. You don't have to be specific about how you're using the time or why you need it. Simply ensure that the amount of PTO they're offering and in what capacity will accommodate your participation.

If they're only offering two weeks of PTO and you have things you need to do outside of work where you'll need days off, be sure to speak and ask, "Can we discuss updating the PTO to three weeks of PTO if I am able to do x, y, and z?" or "How flexible is the one week of PTO in being increased to four weeks?"

And while experts say that some companies have strict no-negotiation policies when it comes to PTO (and will offer more money instead), they also recommend asking for an alternative like working more hours four days a week, for example, to have the fifth day off in the case that this happens.

2. If you're already employed, put in your PTO requests early (at least 90 days in advance if possible.) 

Since we're still in the early stages of January, you'll have a bit of a time advantage when you plan adequately and well ahead. This also helps when there's an issue of first-come-first-serve requests or seniority. The earlier you make a request, experts say, the better. Don't make the mistake of waiting two weeks or even a month before you need to take off if you know about that trip or special occasion well ahead of time. Get those dates blocked off and out of the way as soon as possible.

Sometimes schedules can be amended or a bit more flexible when your manager already knows you've made a request long ago and was diligent about it.

There's another advantage to this: In the event that the request is denied (and sometimes this is for very valid reasons despite what the social media streets say), the earlier you request, the better able you are to adjust your plans or find other ways to accommodate the original request (i.e., ask a coworker to switch days with you, prepare an offer to your employer that might justify a reconsideration of the denial, or figure out how you can budget and take the day off anyway.)

3. Schedule PTO around the paid holiday closure policies of your company.

This might seem like a no-brainer, but sometimes when we're in the thick of working, we forget that there are holidays when the company has allotted the offices to be closed (or at least at less capacity when it comes to present professionals required to be available). Get into those three- or four-day workweeks and plan your vacations, self-care trips, and other times when you want to be out of the office around those office closures.

Some months even have back-to-back holidays when you can leverage working remotely for a few days out of a week and continue with a two-week break.

The office closure policies are unique to each company, and they can change year over year, so simply inquire at the beginning of the year about updates on a confirmed calendar of closures, or be diligent about looking out for the company when HR managers release the information.

4. Be more diligent with your time management, productivity, and setting boundaries.

Enjoying PTO isn't just about the time you have off. It's also about how you spend that time. If you're still answering emails and putting out fires over the phone while beachside in Bali, what's the point? Start today with setting boundaries (via one-on-one conversations with your team or manager about how much you value your time off and how they can effectively communicate with you (or vice versa) during those times).

Set up systems where you're spending your time wisely before your PTO kicks in versus indulging in workplace time-wasters, manually responding to common inquiries (Hello, use AI!), or neglecting to automate and delegate the parts of your job that should be.

When you're able to put systems in place that allow you to do your job not only well, but with ease, you're more likely to really enjoy that time off, whether you're on an excursion, handling a tough life situation, or doing nothing at all.

5. Create cultures of family and friend support when it comes to how you use your PTO.

Your time off often includes the ones you love, so even though you're being paid during your downtime, it's important that your family is on board with whatever vibe will accommodate that time spent. Talk with your partner or spouse about your paid time off and how you like to use it. Make sure your values align with friends and family so that there aren't unreasonable or stressful expectations about how you'll spend that time.

And when you can, schedule those necessary or not-so-fun appointments (healthcare visits, school meetings, etc.) for breaks during your actual work day so you won't be using good PTO to do those things.

Block out dates for certain appointments that come out every year, and schedule the next appointment while you're already at the office, school, or clinic. Hire that cleaner, delegate parenting duties, and get the help you need so that more of your PTO can be used for self-care, reflection, and fun. You deserve a bit more ease, balance, and a couple of real breaks this year.

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