Don't Get Enough Vacation Time at Work? 3 Options to Consider

Some companies are stingy with vacation time. Consider these possibilities if yours is one of them.

When accepting a job offer, it's important to look beyond just salary and consider the various workplace benefits involved. And one benefit you may want to consider carefully is vacation time.

In the U.S., some companies give workers three weeks of paid vacation each year or more. Others might only offer up a week.

If you don't have access to a decent number of vacation days, it could take a serious toll on your mental health. Getting away from work is a healthy thing to do. And besides, if you have kids, you might need extra time off to account for the days they don't have school and summer camp isn't in session. If you're seriously lacking in vacation time, here are some options to explore.

1. Take unpaid time off

If money is tight, you may not be able to ditch work for a few extra days at the expense of your regular paycheck. But if you have a solid savings account balance or you live well below your means and don't use up your earnings in full every month, then taking time off without pay may be possible. And that could make it so you're able to travel, see family, or tend to your kids when you want and need to.

2. Work remotely from a vacation spot

Your company might limit the number of paid vacation days you get access to. But if it's flexible with remote work, you may have the option to go on vacation and work from wherever you're staying. Granted, this may not be an ideal situation for you -- because who wants to work out of a hotel room when the beach beckons? But if you have kids with a school break who are itching to get away and a spouse who can take time off, it may be possible to work remotely from an island or resort if it allows your family to experience a fun trip.

3. Go freelance

If your company is stingy with vacation time, you can always try applying for a job elsewhere. But if you don't want to be restricted in your vacation time, then a better bet may be to go freelance.

When you're self-employed, you can take as many days off as you want, provided you can afford to do so and you're able to meet all of your work-related obligations and deadlines. Granted, as a freelancer, none of your vacation time will be paid. But you'll also have the option to put in extra hours in the weeks leading up to your vacation days to compensate for that.

Read more: 4 Important Tax Moves I Make as a Self-Employed Writer

Don't settle for minimal time off

Taking time away from work is important. If you're stuck with very limited vacation days, don't just resign yourself to never getting a break. Instead, see if you can take time off unpaid or work remotely from a place that at least gives you a change of scenery. You may even want to take the leap into self-employment, so you're not limited on vacation time due to an employer's policies.