Your Guide to Planning Your 2021 Annual Leaves

Most Malaysian employees are entitled to paid annual leaves. The number of days varies depending on company policies and years of service. Some may start with a minimum of 8 days for the next 1 to 2 years and may increase to around 12 to 16 days the longer they stay with the same employer.

You can maximise your annual leaves by scheduling them with the public holidays. With most of the Malaysian public holidays scheduled around weekends, there are nine long weekends for this year with approximately 36 days’ worth of break you might choose to take.

Why taking your annual leaves matter

Besides being part of your employee rights, your annual leaves allow you to create a significant impact on your work performance and other aspects of your lives. This provides you the time to focus on doing things that also matter.

Be it spending time with family, virtually meeting friends, making time for personal projects, or even doing nothing at all, these activities will give you the work-life balance required for your overall well-being. Productivity is not just about being busy all the time; it is also about taking a much-needed break that will provide you with physical, mental, and emotional strength to recover and recharge from all work and life challenges.

It would be best if you also had time to detach yourself from the everyday hustle and enjoy doing what makes you happy and relaxed.

2021 Calendar with Malaysian Public Holidays and Long Weekends

Take note of the public holiday dates, especially those scheduled around the weekends. You can plot your annual leaves strategically and have longer rest days.

When to schedule your annual leaves

Here are our suggested days when you can file for your annual leave:

Tips on how to maximise your annual leave

Planning when to have your annual leaves is one thing, but knowing how you will spend them is another. Keep in mind these things, so your days off become more enjoyable and worthwhile.

1. Schedule them near public holidays or weekends

Always check the public holiday dates when plotting your annual leaves as this will give you extended days off. If you prefer to stretch your weekend rest, you may also book a Friday or Monday off.  Doing so will also guide you in planning the activities you wish to do.

2. List down what you want to do for each of your breaks

To avoid wasting your days off, create a list of all the things you need or want to do. Plan which activities you want to do on specific rest days so you can prepare and accomplish them efficiently.

3. Make time for yourself

Your rest days are the time to do what makes you happy and passionate. You might want to start a new hobby or continue a personal project you have set aside in a while. Or you can watch your favourite series or read a book. Whatever it may be, seize the chance to do something for yourself.

4. Go offline

While we spent most of our days being online for the past year, you can still choose to disconnect from technology for a while and be present in the moment. Scrolling over social media and watching videos online might help you relax, but too much is also wasteful. Being online might also notify you of some work updates which will trigger you to check on your emails.

5. Save days off for emergency and unexpected events

Unexpected events are inevitable no matter how much we hope they will not happen, so it is better to be prepared. Try reserving at least two to three days for personal or work emergencies. These can be days when you do not have pressing things to do or just activities you can postpone. This is why it pays to schedule your annual leaves in advance so you can reschedule any interrupted plans on your next day off.

6. Be familiar with your other leave entitlements

Malaysians are also entitled to other leaves such as sick leave or maternity and paternity leave. Make sure you have confirmed with your HR your other leave options.  This will help in knowing which ones you have already used or can still file for. For example, there might be instances they had asked you to work even during your leave. This means you were not able to use your scheduled day off and can file for a different date.

Scheduling your annual leaves wisely will give you time to determine the activities and goals you want to achieve outside work. Your days off will also give you something to look forward to. It might not always be easy to file for annual leave due to worry of workload and missing out on important company events. But choosing to forego them may also result in burnout and can negatively affect the quality of your work and performance.

This is why strategic planning as early as possible is a must so your supervisor and your teammates will not be caught off-guard and you can prepare things ahead of time to avoid delays and even interruption during your days off.

At JobStreet, we believe in bringing you #JobsThatMatter. As a Career Partner, we are committed to helping all jobseekers find passion and purpose in every career choice. And as the number 1 Talent Partner in Asia, we connect employers with the right candidates who truly make a positive and lasting impact on the organisation.

Discover Jobs That Matter. Visit JobStreet today.

About SEEK Asia

SEEK Asia, a combination of two leading brands JobStreet and jobsDB, is the leading job portal and Asia's preferred destination for candidates and hirers. SEEK Asia’s presence span across 7 countries namely Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam. SEEK Asia is part of the Australian Securities Exchange-listed SEEK Limited Company, the world's largest job portal by market capitalisation. SEEK Asia attracts over 400 million visits a year.

About SEEK Limited

SEEK is a diverse group of companies, comprising a strong portfolio of online employment, educational, commercial and volunteer businesses. SEEK has a global presence (including Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, South-East Asia, Brazil and Mexico), with exposure to over 2.9 billion people and approximately 27 per cent of global GDP. SEEK makes a positive contribution to people’s lives on a global scale. SEEK is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, where it is a top 100 company and has been listed in the Top 20 Most Innovative Companies by Forbes.