10 Travel Hacks Every Full-Time Worker Needs to Know
I’m a 40-year-old electrician, working full time in the heart of London. My days are busy, my calendar’s packed, and annual leave is limited, but my love for travel, that never takes a back seat.
People often think you need loads of time off or a remote job to explore the world. You don’t. I’ve figured out how to turn just 20 days of annual leave into multiple trips, memories, and moments that genuinely recharge me.
If you’re juggling a full-time job but still crave new places, cultures, and that sense of freedom travel brings, this is for you.
Here are 10 travel hacks every full-time worker needs to know. Let’s make your time off work for you.
🗓️ 1. Use Bank Holidays Like a Pro (Your Secret Weapon for Bonus Travel Time)
This is, hands down, one of the most effective ways I’ve found to stretch my annual leave without dipping into it too much.
In the UK, we’re lucky enough to get eight bank holidays a year. Most people see these as a nice day off but I see them as an opportunity to travel.
When you combine bank holidays with weekends and a few well-placed annual leave days, you can unlock entire weeks off with minimal impact on your leave balance. It’s one of those rare hacks that actually feels like you’re beating the system.
Take a Monday bank holiday, for example. If you book the four days after it off (Tuesday to Friday), you get nine days away (Saturday through to the following Sunday) while only using four days of leave. It sounds simple, but the impact it has on your travel year is massive.
One of my favourite examples is Easter weekend. With Good Friday and Easter Monday already off, you can book the Tuesday to Friday after Easter, giving you 10 days away using just four days of leave. You could see numerous countries, experience different cultures, visit natural wonders and all for just 4 days of annual leave.
To make this work, planning is key. I sit down in that weird time between Christmas and New Year, check the calendar for bank holidays, and match them with places I want to go that year. I mark them on my calendar and submit the requests early. That way, I beat the rush and secure my travel windows before the rest of the team start thinking about their holidays.
So next time you see a bank holiday coming up, don’t just see it as a day off. See it as the start of your next adventure.
✈️ 2. Turn Weekends Into Mini Adventures
If you’re not using your weekends to travel, you’re missing out on one of the easiest ways to fit more adventure into your life. As someone who works full time with a fairly rigid schedule, weekends have become my go-to tool for getting a break from the routine without touching my annual leave.
Here’s the trick: finish work on a Friday, grab your bag, and head straight to the airport or train station. It might sound rushed, but it works. By the time most people are unwinding on the sofa, you could be landing in another country, checking into your hotel, and heading out for a late dinner somewhere new.
One of my favourite weekend trips was to Paris. I left work around 4pm on a Friday, flew out of London that evening, and by 9pm I was sitting in a restaurant near the Eiffel Tower. I had all of Saturday and Sunday to explore, and I flew home late Sunday night. It felt like a full holiday, and I didn’t touch a single day of leave.
This kind of trip works best for short-haul destinations. Places like Amsterdam, where I am heading at the end of the month, Barcelona, or Brussels, but you’d be surprised how far you can go in just two or three days. Pack light, plan your transport in advance, and stay somewhere central to make the most of your time.
It’s not about seeing everything. It’s about switching off, getting inspired, and coming back on Monday with stories to tell. So next time the weekend rolls around, ask yourself: could you turn it into an adventure?
🚎️ 3. Choose Smart Travel: Direct & Central
When you’re short on time, every hour counts. That’s why I always make a point of booking direct flights and staying as close to the centre of a destination as I can. It’s not just about convenience, it’s about getting more out of your trip without wasting precious minutes on unnecessary travel.
Let’s say you fly to Rome for a long weekend. If your hotel is 90 minutes from the airport and you’ve got to figure out bus routes or dodgy transfers, you’re losing time before your trip even starts. I’ve done that before, and trust me, it takes the shine off a quick break. Now, I look for flights that land early and return late, and I’ll pay a little more to stay somewhere walkable and central. It’s worth it.
The same goes for choosing airports. If it takes you longer to get to your departing airport than it does to reach your destination, it might not be worth the savings. I try to fly from London City or Heathrow when I can as they’re easier to reach, and I can be through security quickly and relaxing with a drink before my flight.
Direct travel, light packing, and smart location choices make a short trip feel longer and smoother. When your time is limited, you can’t afford to waste any of it. Prioritise ease over cost when needed. Your future self, wandering stress-free through a new city, will thank you.
🌱 4. Plan One Trip Per Season
One of the best ways I’ve found to stay motivated throughout the year is to break it up with travel. Instead of waiting for one big holiday in the summer, I plan to take one meaningful trip every season. That means four breaks a year and it’s completely doable, even with limited annual leave.
It doesn’t always have to be a full week away. Sometimes it’s a three-day city break, other times it might be a longer escape built around a bank holiday. The key is having something to look forward to every few months. It makes the year feel fuller and gives you that consistent sense of adventure.
Here’s how a typical year might look:
Spring: A weekend in Vienna - fresh air, coffee houses, and a cultural reset.
Summer: A longer trip to the Greek Islands - sunshine, great food, and full relaxation.
Autumn: A couple of days in Edinburgh or the Lake District - the perfect cosy getaway.
Winter: A Christmas market trip to Germany or a short break in a festive UK town.
I plan these after Christmas when I map out the calendar year. I block time off early and try to lock in deals when flights are cheapest. And because I’m spreading out my leave, I still have days left for emergencies, rest, or a spontaneous trip if a deal pops up (they do!).
Four trips a year might sound ambitious, but if you’re intentional and flexible, it becomes your new normal. It turns annual leave into a rhythm instead of a once-a-year escape. And that’s what makes it sustainable.
🏡 5. Don’t Forget What’s On Your Doorstep
When we think about travel, we often imagine airports, foreign languages, and big-ticket destinations. But some of the best escapes are much closer to home and they don’t cost you a single day of annual leave. I’m talking about local getaways. The ones you can do over a weekend, after work on a Friday, and be back before Monday.
As someone who lives and works in London, I’m lucky to have access to trains and coaches that can get me to some of the UK’s best towns and countryside in a couple of hours. Whether it’s a quick trip to the New Forest for relaxing, scenic views, or a food-filled weekend in York, these micro-adventures offer just as much satisfaction as a flight abroad.
And let’s not underestimate the joy of discovering something new right in your own country. I’ve had great weekends in places like Brighton, the Cotswolds, Buxton, and even quirky little towns I’d never have thought to visit if I wasn’t actively looking for close-to-home escapes.
Local travel removes a lot of the faff: no airport queues, no baggage limits, and usually no need for early starts or visas. It’s perfect for last-minute planning and lets you reset without the logistics of a bigger trip.
If you’re short on leave or just want to make the most of your weekends, start exploring what’s just outside your postcode. You don’t need to go far to feel like you’ve gone somewhere. Sometimes the best adventures are the ones right on your doorstep.
💼 6. Add a Day to Work Trips (aka Bleisure)
Work trips aren’t just about meetings and long hours, they’re also an underrated opportunity to explore new places without using much of your own time or money. It’s a concept known as “bleisure”, mixing business and leisure and it’s a game-changer for anyone who travels for work.
Working in London often gives me the opportunity to spend a night in a hotel. This gives me the opportunity to spend an evening exploring. Just last week I explored Borough Market, walked along the Thames at night, and even went to a comedy club. Because I was already there for work, the travel was paid for and I only needed to cover the cost of the comedy club. A huge win and a really fun night.
The key to bleisure is simple: if you’re travelling somewhere for work, utilise your down time, even tack on a night or two. You’ve already made the journey so why not make the most of it? You can use a Friday or Monday to turn a work week into a mini break, often without the full cost of a holiday.
This works especially well if your work takes you to cities like Manchester, Birmingham, or anywhere abroad. You can plan ahead, bring a light bag with weekend clothes, and squeeze in sightseeing, local food, an activity or tour.
It’s not always possible, of course, but when it is, it’s one of the smartest ways to travel more without sacrificing your annual leave. Think of it as a bonus adventure, mixing work with travel.
🧳 7. Pack Light, Move Fast
When you’ve only got a few days to travel, every minute counts and nothing slows you down like overpacking. I used to drag around a heavy suitcase filled with “just in case” items. Not anymore. Now I travel with a small backpack or carry-on, and it’s completely changed how I move.
Travelling light means you can skip check-in queues, breeze through airport security, and avoid waiting at baggage claims. It also makes it easier to move quickly between transport links, hop on local buses or trams, and check in early to your hotel or Airbnb without a fuss.
My essentials? A couple of outfits that mix and match, one pair of comfortable shoes, travel-size toiletries, a power bank, and a waterproof jacket. That’s it. Everything fits in one bag, and it makes travel feel more freeing, like you’re carrying less weight both physically and mentally.
It also helps if you’re travelling hand luggage only, which is often cheaper with budget airlines and faster at both ends of the journey. You’ll be out of the airport while others are still staring at the baggage carousel.
For city breaks or short-haul getaways, this one simple hack can buy you back hours of time and a surprising amount of peace of mind. Less stuff, less stress, more adventure. That’s a trade-off I’ll take every time.
❌ 8. Don’t Waste Your Leave on “Nothing Days”
This might be the most overlooked travel hack of all, being intentional with how you use your annual leave. It’s tempting to book a random Monday off just because you’re tired or to catch up on housework, but those days can quietly drain your leave without giving you anything memorable in return.
I used to burn days like this and then get to the end of the year wondering why I hadn’t gone anywhere. Now, I ask myself a simple question every time I go to book time off: Will this leave me with a memory? If the answer’s no, I rethink it.
It’s not to say you can’t take a day off to rest, but rest with intention. Take a long weekend somewhere new, even if it’s just in the UK. Visit a friend in another city. Go to the countryside. You’ll still be recharging, but you’ll come back with more than just a few extra hours of sleep.
Think about your leave like a budget. If you only get 20 or 25 days a year, don’t let them slip through your fingers on admin or boredom. Plan ahead. Save a few for spontaneous trips or last-minute deals. And make sure the days you do take off feel like they’re working for you and not just passing time.
Being intentional with your leave turns time off into something you look forward to and not something you waste without realising it.
📝 9. Keep a Ready-to-Go List of Travel Ideas
One of the best things I ever did to travel more often was keep a simple list on my phone titled: “Quick Trips.” It’s nothing fancy, just a running note of places I want to go that are ideal for weekends, bank holidays, or last-minute getaways.
When a cheap flight pops up, or I find myself with a surprise Friday off (happened once, years ago), I don’t waste time figuring out where to go, I already have a shortlist ready. Sometimes it’s city breaks like Brussels, Lisbon, or Paris. Other times, it’s closer to home: the Cotswolds, York, or even a new place in London.
Keeping this list also helps you stay inspired. When you’re deep in work mode or just plodding through a rainy Tuesday, looking at that list can spark a bit of motivation. It reminds you what’s possible and what you’re working towards.
I break mine down into categories:
Weekend trips (2–3 days)
Easy UK escapes
Longer holidays (5–7 days)
Seasonal ideas (e.g. Christmas markets, summer coastal breaks)
You can use tools like Google Maps to pin ideas, Instagram to save posts, or even a dedicated Pinterest board. The point is to be ready so when opportunity knocks, you don’t waste time planning. You just pack your bag and go.
It’s one of the simplest but most effective ways to keep travel on your radar, even when life is busy.
📊 10. Track Your Leave Like You Track Your Money
You wouldn’t spend all your savings without checking your bank account so why treat your annual leave any differently? If you’re serious about maximising your time off, it helps to know exactly how much you’ve used, how much you’ve got left, and where it’s all going.
I started using a basic spreadsheet to track my leave, and it’s been a game-changer. I log every day I’ve taken, note what I used it for (holiday, rest day, family), and keep an eye on bank holidays and long weekends I can combine it with.
It’s not about being overly strict but about being intentional. With a clear view of your available leave, you can make smarter decisions throughout the year. You’ll spot gaps where a weekend trip fits perfectly or realise early on when to book that summer holiday before everyone else grabs the same week.
This approach also helps you avoid the December panic where you’ve either got too much leave to use up or none at all. And it’s motivating too, seeing your leave bank grow or planning your trips around it gives you something to look forward to.
Even if you’re not a spreadsheet person, you can use a notes app or calendar reminders to do the same job. The goal is to take control of your time off like you would your finances. It’s your most valuable resource so use it wisely, and it’ll pay you back in memories, energy, and inspiration.
🧭 Final Thoughts: Travel More Without Leaving Your Job
You don’t need to quit your job or win the lottery to see more of the world. You just need to be intentional with your time, smart with your planning, and open to squeezing every drop of joy out of the days you do have.
These 10 travel hacks are the exact strategies I use as a full-time electrician in London, juggling work, commitments, and a passion for exploring new places. Whether it’s a long weekend in Europe, a one-night UK escape, or a clever combo of a bank holiday and a few days off, the opportunities to travel are already there. You just have to unlock them.
So here’s your challenge: look at your calendar, find the next opportunity, and make it happen. You don’t need a big budget or a big break, you just need a plan.
The world is waiting. And with a little strategy, you don’t have to wait for it. Don’t just dream it, live it!