Ready to rethink your vacation time? Time-off expert Jackie Swayze wants you to move beyond the traditional one-week-in-summer model and start customizing your PTO (that’s paid time off) like it’s made just for you—because it should be! In a world where burnout is real and rest is essential, Swayze, founder of Maximizing My PTO, encourages workers to reimagine time off using creativity, personal priorities, and smart planning. Whether it’s taking your birthday off, planning a “power-down” long weekend, or sneaking in short getaways to recharge, Swayze says we need to make time for joy, connection, and what really matters—without waiting for a perfect vacation window that may never come. "There’s so much more creativity to be had than the standard, you know, take one week off in the summer,” she explains. So think smaller, smarter, and more meaningful when it comes to vacationing, and you might just come back to work happier, healthier, and more engaged.

🎯 Key Points:

• Jackie Swayze, founder of Maximizing My PTO, suggests rethinking the traditional vacation structure to better fit personal needs and boost well-being.
• Swayze says, “There’s so much more creativity to be had than the standard… take one week off in the summer.”
• Prioritize what matters most: Sundie Leigh Jones, a software engineer, uses her PTO for birthdays and family bonding, showing that micro-moments count, too.
• Consider using your time off for long weekends, rest days after big projects, or personal life milestones—not just once-a-year getaways.
• Brief getaways, personal wellness days, and self-defined “mini-retreats” can all be more rejuvenating (and realistic!) than long, elaborate trips.
• Planning ahead with creativity and personal intention can help you feel refreshed and avoid burnout.
• Tools like MaximizingMyPTO.com help users build out flexible, rewarding time-off schedules tailored to their goals and values.

Bonus tip: Research by the American Psychological Association supports this mindset—regular, meaningful breaks can reduce stress and improve performance. So yes, that three-day camping trip or low-key staycation might be exactly what your brain needs.
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