We have reached the time of year when, as a rule, people only think about vacations. This anticipation is usually loaded with positive expectations and as such brings us well-being and leaves a smile on our face- we often even focus more on our work and get extra energy to ensure that when the time to go on vacation comes, we leave everything done and neat. What you may not have known is that planning and anticipating the vacation brings more well-being than the actual vacation.
Article by Pedro Neves | Reading time 2 minutes
Elizeu Dias
A study lead by Jeroen Nawijn of Erasmus University Rotterdam demonstrated this effect in a sample of around 1500 Dutchmen. In this study the team compared people who would go on vacation to others who wouldn't, and found out two interesting points:
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people who went on vacation had a higher happiness index before going on vacation;
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after the vacations there were no major differences in the happiness index of the two groups - unless the vacations were really, really, really relaxing (ie without any source of stress).
That is, it seems that making plans and thinking about that wonderful seaside chaise longue and in the accompanying book, hiking in the mountains just listening to nature, or any other idyllic holiday setting is better than enjoying yourself, in fact, those moments.
It is relatively easy to understand this effect of expectations versus reality. The little uncertainties of real life, such as an unexpected children's scene, the neighbor who grills sardines every night and whose smoke comes to our door, or the family who puts towels on the beach right next to ours are the elements that often bring stress to the stress-free zone, eventually turning the vacation into something that goes like this: "If it wasn't for ____, the vacation would have been perfect." And so, the effect of the vacations fades while we dive into the work that patiently awaited us.
However, in the run-up to the vacations, the limit for our imagination is the sky. The chaise longue is on a semi-deserted beach where you only hear the sea; There are no lines to enter the amusement park or restaurant; and everyone knows exactly how much interpersonal distance they should keep from each other (which in Portugal is a little over a meter from strangers, according to a 2017 study published in the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology).
From an individual point of view, vacations seem to play a part which is partly something we wish for and dreamed of and whose term (long vacations versus several breaks throughout the year) seems to have relatively little impact on our happiness.
So, enjoy now that you haven't been on vacation to dream and to make the most of it. If you have already enjoyed your vacation, the solution is simple: start dreaming about your next vacation as soon as possible.
Artigo publicado originalmente na revista Forbes Portugal
