I’ve been back from my vacation for almost a month now, and still cannot stop thinking about our trip. Maybe I was overdue for some down time to sit back and relax. Or maybe I just really enjoyed reading my book in the sunshine and not having to worry about anything for a week. Either way, this trip made me very happy. But it also made me wonder how vacations in general make people happy.
Is it the anticipation of your trip? Perhaps the time you spend planning and researching might provide the most excitement.
Maybe it’s the actual vacation that makes you the most happy; seeing new sights, trying new foods, and enjoying time away from the real world.
Or is the the memories you have when you look back at the photos and videos of your trip once you get home?
This article on Huffington Post stated “according to a 2010 study published in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life, just planning or anticipating your trip can make you happier than actually taking it. While all vacationers enjoyed pre-trip happiness, the study’s authors found that people only experienced a boost in happiness post-vacation if their trip was relaxing. If their vacation was deemed “stressful” or “neutral,” their post-trip happiness levels were comparable to those who hadn’t taken a vacation at all. Pre-trip happiness, however, is a different story entirely. The study found that all vacationers experienced a significant boost in happiness during the planning stages of the trip because, as the researchers suggest, the vacationers were looking forward to the good times ahead.”
That sounds fairly accurate as someone who enjoys the planning process, but what about people who don’t enjoy planning? Take my husband for example; when I read him the above quote he disagreed and said he would probably not vacation unless it was planned for him. I suppose that’s where a travel agent or vacation tour company would come into play… and with the endless options available on the internet even those who hate planning (i.e.: my husband) could skip right to the pre-trip excitement phase.
In life I would say that I am equally happy during every stage: planning my trip, enjoying my vacation, and then reliving the holiday memories.
What about you: are you most happy planning, taking or remembering your vacations?
3 comments
I’ve never stopped to think about it but it makes total sense! When there is a (rare) time I don’t have a trip to look forward to, I feel lost and almost depressed! Oh an my hubby is not a planner either! 🙂
I feel the same way! I need to be thinking about, planning or taking vacations as frequently as possible! I guess this blog really helps me in between trips because I can write about my travels too 🙂
I really enjoy looking for places to travel to and to visit, but I don’t actually enjoy the logistics and trying to figure everything out 😂 but I guess someone has to do it! But even if I’m not doing anything travel related, I still find a lot of happiness in my studies and finding new places to visit in my own backyard. 🙂 Great post!