This tool confirms it visually: May is mostly a "month off" in France, with three bank holidays in three weeks.
Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
131–140 of 177 posts
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#132Neat idea. I actually optimize the opposite. I want the most 3-day weekends I can have per year, as evenly spaced across the year as possible.
The line that says "let's stretch your time off from X days to Y days" is actually misleading, because algorithm optimises for longer consecutive vacations, not for larger amount of vacation days.
Following your strategy the Y will be 3 for any PTO day taken, with public holidays total would easily hit 60+ days.
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#133This is a clever project; thanks for sharing. It demonstrates nicely why I strongly prefer an "unlimited PTO" policy: I never want to have to think about any of this.
Out of interest, how many days leave do you actually take in an average year?
I don't precisely know - that's the beauty of it! More than I used to take when I had to cautiously ration each precious day out from a limited supply, each time asking "is this really important enough to spend a PTO day on, and will I be leaving enough days in reserve in case something more important comes up later?" Now I just go when I feel like going, and there's no stress about it.
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#134It looks like the day of the week is off by one. Jan 1 2025 is a Wednesday, labeled Tuesday. Fridays is labeled as the weekend, for all weeks.
Other than that, this looks cool. Wish you could turn off public holidays though, some of us don't get those.
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#135Earlier quoted context omitted.
Agreed, in Switzerland this idea of "stretching" is common but I find it stupid. Weather going to be bad? Doesnt matter, I can stretch my total time off 3 days more!!! Total off season to where I am traveling to? Doesnt matter, I get that single extra "bridge" day! Man so cringe. I don't know, seems much easier that if you dont want to work then don't! I mean the tool OP posted recommended 2 weeks off at the end of M…
When I was in my early 20s I had a few friends who were obsessed with traveling and would do stuff like this to maximize long blocks of time off, then they'd pick where to go because now they have 9 days instead of 4, and decide where to go backed on what time of year they had that longer block. If your trying to maximize "contiguous days off" and you truly don't care when it is, a tool like this is super helpful.
This is a great way to plan a travel window and even pick the best destination that presents itself then.
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#136Earlier quoted context omitted.
Parent (heh) means they have no choice but to plan their holidays during the days off in the school roster. Tools like these are pretty much pointless if you can take a day off from work, but your kid is required to show up in school.
When I had younger children, we would just pull them from school on occasion. This did require a bit coordinating with homework, teachers etc, but they don't have to be in school. On a more serious note, schools are there to serve you, be assertive about your children being yours, they do not belong to the state (at least in the USA).
If kids are performing academically there isn’t much grounds for the school to stand on.
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#137Earlier quoted context omitted.
Agreed, in Switzerland this idea of "stretching" is common but I find it stupid. Weather going to be bad? Doesnt matter, I can stretch my total time off 3 days more!!! Total off season to where I am traveling to? Doesnt matter, I get that single extra "bridge" day! Man so cringe. I don't know, seems much easier that if you dont want to work then don't! I mean the tool OP posted recommended 2 weeks off at the end of M…
> plan your holidays for the next year i am absolutely lost in why anyone would do that. And on other side, resource planning is only lame excuse. But AFAIK most of western europe goes that way.. which is a preliminary planned existance . Boring like hell. Where is Life?
I thought it was a bit much too until I learned that there can be benefits from a life management perspective to setup yearly traditions, as well as often being able to get beer value for some things planned out in advance
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#138It looks like the day of the week is off by one. Jan 1 2025 is a Wednesday, labeled Tuesday. Fridays is labeled as the weekend, for all weeks. Other than that, this looks cool. Wish you could turn off public holidays though, some of us don't get those.
The ability to exclude or include public holidays where as a federal employee or not (self employed) would be useful too
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#139You should add the ability to change the public holidays. My company doesn't give veteran's day
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#140I typically try to take annual leave and to travel exactly on the opposite dates to what this tool recommends. That's because I care more about avoiding the significant extra expense, traffic, and crowds of travel over public holiday periods, than I do about getting a few extra "free days" of leave. No free lunch!
Good luck traveling on work days!
Depending on the city it can be just fine, if not quieter to travel on a weekday.