We’ve all been there: First dreaming of a long-anticipated vacation, then enjoying the trip, then returning home to the daily grind and wondering whether it was all worth it. According to a group of researchers in the Netherlands, it probably wasn’t.
In a study reported last week in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life, the researchers surveyed 974 Dutch vacationers about their levels of happiness before and after taking trips. Before departing, the vacationers reported higher levels of happiness — possibly because of anticipation — compared with 556 people who hadn’t vacationed at all. But after the travelers had returned home, they were no happier than those who had stayed put.
“Only a very relaxed holiday trip boosts vacationers’ happiness further after return,” the study says.
At least until the credit card bills start to roll in. —Don Troop
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6 Responses to Planning a Vacation? Better Enjoy It Now
lauramessenger - February 22, 2010 at 5:18 am
Here’s a study you might find interesting in the context of vacation time…might warrant further investigation. Does “happier” equal “rested”? Vice-versa? Or is there something else going on? See you tonite. Love, Laura
lauramessenger - February 22, 2010 at 5:21 am
Whoops! Pressed the wrong button…thought I was sending it to my researcher husband! But it is still an interesting study and my thoughts remain the same. Except the bit about tonite…Best regards!
rsk04911 - February 22, 2010 at 7:07 am
I am sure that for many of us, rested equals happier. And for others, they were especially happy that someone named Laura was keen to see them last night. Now they are keenly disappointed.
mbelvadi - February 22, 2010 at 9:02 am
Interesting assumption, there, that people vacation to increase happiness. That’s never been my goal. For me, as an adult at least, vacations have always been about “lifelong learning” – seeing and experiencing new things that I just can’t at home. Such trips are never “restful”. But the memories stay with me for a very long time. It’s one thing to see video of grizzly bears on tv, another to see one a few feet from your tour bus window. Or the tombs in St. Paul’s of people who heretofore have just been names in history classes. Or the ancient temples in southern India.
11140525 - February 23, 2010 at 10:45 am
remember this applies only if you are a middle class Dutch person
arrive2__net - March 8, 2010 at 2:02 am
These were two discrete self-selected groups, so the differences reported are really descriptive. Does it mean that the vacationers needed the vacation to maintain their level of hapiness, but the non-vacationers get satisfaction from their regular setting and that maintains a stable level of hapiness for them? Or maybe it means that over the long term people’s level of “happiness” tends to be relatively stable … for them … whether they go on vacation or not. I think, people go on vacation for complex reasons, although a vacation it may not change your life … to make you happier than ever. But it might make the vacationer happier with themselves, even though the vacationers may have higher expectations. The vacationers may need to be less bored and more interesting to maintain their happiness. The abstract says “The findings are explained in the light of set-point theory, need theory and comparison theory”. Bernard SchusterArrive2.net