Using my own tool, I transformed 15 PTO days into 54 total days off by optimally positioning them around public holidays and company days off (like Summer Fridays and Winter Break). The tool automatically generated a balanced mix of long weekends, mini-breaks, week-long vacations, and extended getaways.

Holiday Optimizer features:

- Interactive calendar visualization to see your optimized time off at a glance

- Multiple optimization strategies based on your preference for shorter or longer breaks

- Current year planning that only suggests future dates

- Support for company-specific days off and recurring patterns (like "Summer Fridays")

- One-click export to your favorite calendar app

- Year-by-year planning for future vacations

- Clean, responsive interface that works on any device

You can customize your optimization strategy based on personal preferences:

- Long weekends (3-4 days)

- Mini-breaks (5-6 days)

- Week-long breaks (7-9 days)

- Extended vacations (10+ days)

- Balanced distribution throughout the year

What would take hours to plan manually using a calendar now takes seconds. The tool is completely client-side, respects your privacy with no data collection, and features a responsive UI built with Next.js and React. Simply input your PTO allowance, company holidays, and preferences to see your optimized schedule instantly.

Try it out: https://holiday-optimizer.com

The code is open source at GitHub: http://github.com/waqarkalim/holiday-optimizer

I'd love your feedback on the tool! What strategies do you use to maximize your time off? I personally prefer week-long breaks (7-9 days) as they provide enough time to truly disconnect without using too many PTO days.