12 Essential Bleisure Travel Tips for Mixing Work and Vacation

2. Build a simple bleisure plan before you book

Start by mapping your meeting schedule and identifying natural windows for personal time. Block your calendar around core meetings first. Next, look for "shoulder nights" — the evenings immediately before or after your work commitments — since hotels often offer lower rates for those dates. Create a one-page plan that notes meeting hours, travel time, and two to three personal activities you want to do. That approach reduces decision fatigue and makes the request to your manager straightforward. Include travel times and any family or companion arrangements. When flights are involved, compare total trip cost if you extend a business ticket versus booking a separate vacation; flights paid by the company for the business portion can drastically reduce your personal expense. Keep the plan compact so you can attach it to an email or conversation with your manager. This level of preparation shows respect for work commitments and helps colleagues understand where and when you’ll be available.