Summer is here. Bodies of water, sunny spots and parks are all beckoning us to visit. But few of us have enough time off to cover end-of-year holidays as well as the breaks we need and want during the summer months.

Employers in America are famous worldwide for offering the least amount of time off to their employees. As noted in this report from the Center for Economic Policy and Research, we are at the bottom of the list for paid vacation and holidays, and this is not likely to change soon.

So what do we do? Find creative ways to get out there and enjoy the season without breaking your vacation bank.

Make a game plan

The first thing to do is to figure out what — shy of taking the summer off — would really make a difference to your morale.

Would a few three-day weekends do the trick? An occasional spontaneous day off when it is crisp, clear, breezy and 70 degrees? Perhaps just the ability to sleep in after a mid-week cookout at a friend's house? Or a half day to pick up your kids and do something fun? Or long lunch with friends on an outside patio at your favorite restaurant?

Make a checklist of at least a dozen things you would love to do to enjoy the season a little more.

Check your policies

The best place to start is your company handbook. What policies do you have that support a creative approach to the work day?

For example, flexible time or make-up time is a common practice that allows nonexempt employees to come in late or leave early and make up the time on another day. Normally, it is a way to benefit the employee as well as the employer as the employer does not end up paying overtime in exchange for giving the employee the flexibility. It might also be a nice way to capture a couple of hours to knock a few things off your list.

Next, look at the increments in which you can take time off. Is the minimum four hours or one? Can you take it during the day? It's amazing how eight hours of vacation can be stretched into a long lunch, late morning, early Friday and more.

Finally, ask if you have not already about the flexibility of your company or your boss during the summer. Lots of companies allow department-specific flexibility during summer months (most often seen as casual clothing options) that often include an early Friday release.

Be professional, but make the ask. And while you are at it, find out what kind of company events might be happening that could be fun. Is there an annual cookout? Sponsored road race or golf tournament? Get out there and participate; it is another way to get out of the office and into the fresh air while still being paid.

Best practices

With a plan in place, you can usually squeeze the most out of the time off your company already provides. But is this ethical?

If you are taking advantage of what they offer, yes. But that does not mean you should forget about your colleagues. Avoid being the co-worker who always leaves on Friday so everyone else is stuck with your work; or the one that everyone knows will be absent when the weather says 70 and sunny.

Be considerate, and you are less likely to draw negative attention to what you are doing.