National Plan for Vacation Day, on the last Tuesday in January, reminds us to plan our vacation at the start of the year for the rest of the year. The early bird gets to pack their bags and fly away to a little fun and relaxation!

With the frigid temperatures and growing snow piles, it’s easy to start daydreaming of sunny skies. Who else is dreaming of sandcastles and the vacation days to come? But, for many Americans, those vacation dreams turn out to be just that: a dream.

Each year, Americans leave more than 600 million vacation days unused. Our work martyr attitudes combined with a culture of silence in the workplace is keeping workers at their desks instead of using their time off.

To change this, National Plan for Vacation Day reminds us to plan our vacation at the start of the year for the rest of the year. When it comes to taking a vacation, it is the planners of the world who get the job done. According to Project: Time Off, planners are more likely to take all their vacation time in a given work year and take more extended vacations than non-planners. They are also happier with their jobs, relationships, and health. So don’t knock the planners who get out the door to vacation! Get planning!!

How to Observe #PlanForVacation

Three Easy Steps to Planning a Vacation

Planning a vacation does not have to be a monumental task. Here are three easy steps to make it happen:

1. Determine how much time off you earn. Look up the number of vacation days you earn by checking with your finance or HR team. Don’t forget to make a note of any office closures.
2. Coordinate calendars. Use Project: Time Off’s vacation planning tool to plot out your year—enter the number of days you earn, put your vacation dreams on the calendar, and use your custom link to get your family and friends involved in the planning.
3. Share your plans. Once you have your days determined, use the calendar to export your plans to Outlook, Gmail, or other electronic calendars to share with your boss, co-workers, and family.

As we close out a month of resolutions, make this the year you focus on your bucket list—not your to-do list.

Visit Project: Time Off/Plan for more vacation planning tips and ideas.  Get ready to plan your vacation and use #PlanForVacation on social media.

National Plan for Vacation Day History

National Plan for Vacation Day, celebrated on the last Tuesday of January, is a day to encourage Americans to plan their vacation days for the rest of the year at the start of the year. Launched by the U.S. Travel Association’s Project: Time Off initiative in 2017, National  Plan for Vacation Day provides an opportunity to come together at a single moment to rally around the importance of planning for a  vacation. In its inaugural year, more than 600 organizations, representing all 50 states, came together to encourage Americans to plan for vacation. Learn more at ProjectTimeOff.com/Plan and join the conversation online with #PlanForVacation.

The registrar at National Day Calendar® proclaimed National Plan for Vacation Day to be observed annually in 2018.