Annual leave days can often feel sparse, with many Brits meticulously planning them out across the year for holidays and short breaks from the office.
But some are wasting their time off, and across the country 135 million annual leave days are thrown away on mundane chores.
This accounts for around six days off per Brit a year on average.
A whopping 66 per cent of Brits have admitted they use up their annual leave on tasks such as doctors’ appointments, gardening and visiting relatives, instead of resting or exploring the world.
Six in ten share they feel like they need another day off after taking time away from work to get chores done.
What’s more, 27 per cent feel they throw away their entire allowance altogether.
This results in a full month of time spent doing things British workers would rather not be doing, instead of jetting off on holiday.
Meanwhile, a shocking 80 per cent regret how the ways they have used their annual leave.
A whopping 66 per cent of Brits have admitted they use up their annual leave on tasks such as doctors’ appointments, gardening and visiting relatives, instead of resting or exploring the world
The research, commissioned by On the Beach, has led to the package holiday experts to push Brits to use their time off for better things.
The most common reasons for booking annual leave is resting at home (33 per cent), spending time with family or a partner (31 per cent), personal time with no plans (21 per cent) and visiting relatives (21 per cent).
Some 14 per cent are using their days off to recover from burnout or stress, and 10 per cent are taking annual leave to complete DIY tasks.
Shockingly, nine per cent use their annual leave to declutter or reorganise their home, and eight per cent stated ‘life admin’ reasons.
Instead, experts suggest leave should be used for travelling and getting away from the bores of every day life.
Zoe Harris, chief customer officer at On the Beach, says, ‘Holidays matter. Proper breaks give people the chance to reset, reconnect and come back feeling like themselves again.
‘Annual leave should be about memories, sunshine and switching off, not ticking things off a to-do list.’
She adds, ‘The findings highlight a growing disconnect between what annual leave is meant to deliver and how it is actually being used.
Six in ten share they feel like they need another day off after taking time away from work to get chores done
‘While workers overwhelmingly want to spend their time off travelling, resting and making memories, the reality for many is spent managing appointments, family duties and household tasks that spill into their only window for rest.’
Instead of wasting days off, On the Beach is ‘calling on Britain to end the annual leave madness and stop sacrificing holidays to everyday chores’.
Zoe urges, ‘So next time you put in a leave request, stop and think about how you will feel when it’s over.
‘If the answer isn’t rested, recharged and smiling, it might not be time off at all.’
As for when Brits should be taking off their annual leave, it’s possible to get chunks of time off work without using lots of precious paid days off.
The best approach to maximising your annual leave is taking advantage of public holidays.
There are eight bank holidays next year in England and Wales, and they are key to making the most out of your days off and getting to travel around more.
