Which makes you happier – one big holiday every year or multiple shorter breaks?
This research caught my eye as it’s a topic I’ve debated a few times with friends. The results are interesting and also work for other aspects of our lives.
The question was what made holidaymakers happy and why, asked by professors Cass Sunstein and Tali Sharot.
One word kept appearing again and again: first.
They spoke of the joy of seeing the sea for the first time, the first sip of a holiday cocktail, and having the first swim in the warm pool. Firsts were essential to the overall experience.
Further crunching of numbers revealed that joy peaked at 43 hours in. At the end of day two, people had their bearings and were their happiest. It all goes downhill after that. How sad!
It’s not that they went home feeling miserable, with many still benefiting from the warm glow of their holiday for a little while. Still, just a week after returning, it was challenging to see any effect of the time away on their mood, with many hardly remembering their holiday.
It’s all about habituation. Our brain responds less and less to constant things that don’t change. For instance, if you go to the same holiday destination every year, visit the same restaurant, or go on the same walks, the joy fades over time.
It’s true – you need to mix things up for maximum joy.
Returning to the question of holidays, the researchers were clear in their findings. The evidence suggests that you will benefit from several shorter breaks to different places. This will provide you with the most joy. Remember how joy peaked at 43 hours? Suppose you have several long weekends away. In that case, you’ll experience more joy from several short trips throughout the year rather than one long escape. You will experience more firsts, more afterglow and the pleasure of anticipation more times.
The answer? Be mindful of your habits, make changes and ultimately experience more pleasure.