How do you distribute your vacation time?

[ihearyou2]

I never do over a week, it doesn't seem to work out for everyone's schedules and its a pain in the ass with work. I prefer one, one week vacation and the rest mini vacations. Frankly being away for more then one week puts me on edge, I'm high energy.

[The Captain]

Nope.  Too much stuff piles up when I'm gone and then I spend weeks trying to catch up.

One week (maybe 10 days) is enough for me.  I usually am bored and ready to get back to work after 5-6 days anyway.

[giramomma]

We generally never take 1 week vacations anymore.

We take 2-3+ weeks of vacation. Except for last summer, the norm is one 10 day vacation and one two week vacation.

Last summer we took a 10 day vacation and a long weekend. But, I was also off on maternity leave for 4 months during that time.

I get 176 hours of vacation time a year at my job. I can start banking some of it soon. (It's a perk you get after working here for 10 years). Otherwise, I can only roll over vacation time for one year.

[lynnerself]

Several 3- 4 day long weekends
A week long trip in the winter.
A 2 week trip in the summer, usually fairly far away.
We never take time off and just stay home.

I took more than 2 weeks from work once, but that was a disaster when I returned.

[Deleted]

I usually schedule a 2 week vacation and a 1 week vacation. The 2 week vacation, I actually take at least 1 week of it, sometimes 10 days, sometimes the whole 2 weeks. This year, I think I'm taking the whole 2 weeks. The 1 week vacation, I usually just take a couple days of it. The rest of my leave, I use here and there throughout the year.

[Deleted]

2 or 3 weeks all at once is best for me. 

[muttleynfelix]

I've taken 2 weeks off straight once in my career. I probably will again in 2 years and then more regularly as the kids get older and we take some longer road trips.  I will say it really stunk before and afterwards.  The work just sat around until I got back and then some things were late.

Most of the time I take time off as extended weekends.  When I was young, I would make the trip to and from my parents without taking any time off work. Then it was a half day off work, then it was taking Friday off.  Now I don't go to my parent's on a weekend without taking 2 days off (either Friday/Monday or Thursday/Friday or Monday/Tuesday).   I haven't taken a full week off straight besides maternity leave in 4 years.  But I have had 2 maternity leaves in that time.

Next year, my plan is to take a week off and we'll go down to Florida to spend some time on the coast and celebrate my niece graduating from college (meet up with her and take her out to eat, I'm not dragging a 1.5 year old and 4.5 year old to a college graduation).  I am really looking forward to that.

[constanz22]

I never even come close to using all of my vacation time.  I get 22 days now.  I usually take some long weekends, maybe one trip to Fl to visit mom (less than a week) and may take another week if she comes north to visit.  We can carry over something like 12 days a year, and I've been carrying over 8+ for years.  It's to my benefit though, because if they get rid of our program, we have to be paid for unused vacation, so, it's kind of another emergency fund as far as I'm concerned. 

[973beachbum]

Wow you guys get a lot of vacation time.  We both get ten days a year.  I would love to say I choose to use it for this or that but the reality is we really don't get to choose anything.  By the time we are through covering for my son's school days off it might be a week left.  We normally take that in two longish weekends.    Evenutally when he is older we can leave him home alone.  With my daughter it started about fifth grade but with him it could be somewhere around 18.

[steph08]

I get 20 days/year (4 weeks) but that will go up to 25 days in July! Woohoo!

I hate using my vacation time for anything other than vacation. I usually take it in week-long spurts, though last year I did use 2.5 weeks to go to Europe, and I never take it just to do a stay-cation. If I am off work, I am going somewhere! 

As our department has dwindled, it has gotten harder since I am the main writer and issuer of all articles posted on our internal and external sites. Still doesn't stop me though.

[Deleted]

It depends. I prefer taking it as a vacation planned to go somewhere at least 2 weeks at a time since that somewhere usually involves international. I was going to take off 3.5 weeks this summer but my plans got changed so it will be 2 weeks, then another week in September, then another 2 weeks around Christmas (all international trips). Sometimes I take a few hours here and there or a day for doctor's appointments (if I cannot schedule it on my days off-every other friday) or if my son is sick. We have PTO and no separate sick or personal time so I try to avoid having to take PTO unless it is for an actual vacation.
I get 16 days per year but we can acrue up to twice our yearly PTO. Starting september I will have 21 days Woohoooo!

[Deleted]

Usually at least 1 or 2 1-week vacations with any time left over used to make long weekends or tied in with holidays.

[jeffreymo]

I make every holiday at least a 4 day weekend and sometimes a 5 day weekend.  I also like to take up to a week for spring cleaning/landscaping.  We're not to the point yet where our schedules can align for an extended vacation, and with another baby on the way it might be a couple of years before we go on a family vacation.

[Deleted]

I have a two week block in April and a 3 week block in July and a few 1 week blocks. We are not paid competitive wages for our positions so they sweeten the package with a generous vacation plan. I don't like to take much vacation during our 5 busy months so it tends to be a lot in the slow times. I use the 2 and 3 week blocks for trips and the one week blocks for home projects.

[saveinla]

I usually take  3 weeks at a time  most years and we go on a long trip. I get 4 weeks of vacation time and usually save the 1 week . We also get summer hours - Fridays work only 5 hours, week off between Christmas and NewYear, 2 personal days, 7 sick days and the regular holidays. Last year was the first year I did not take my 3 week break - it was just 2 weeks