Holiday wellbeing research suggests short breaks can restore workers as effectively as longer trips when travellers detach from work, according to a 13-study review led by Dresden University of Technology.
The meta-analysis by Franziska Speth, Johannes Wendsche and Jürgen Wegge covered 1,428 participants. It found that holidays improved wellbeing, but trip duration did not significantly alter the benefits, and gains generally faded after the first week back at work.
University of Michigan psychologist Ethan Kross said checking work emails could undermine recovery by preventing psychological distance from everyday pressures.
Blocking notifications may therefore be more important than extending a trip, according to Kross, author of “Shift: How to Manage Your Emotions So They Don’t Manage You.”
Kross also identified “place attachment” as a potential source of emotional relief. Familiar destinations can evoke security and nostalgia, while new locations resembling previously comforting places may produce similar effects.
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Separate University of California, Berkeley research linked awe during nature trips with improved well-being. Researchers studying military veterans and young people during rafting excursions found that participants who experienced greater awe reported less stress afterwards.
Holiday planning can also affect satisfaction. Ondrej Mitas of Breda University of Applied Sciences and fellow researchers found that travellers who continually pursued the best possible choice tended to be less satisfied than “satisficers,” who selected an acceptable option without exhausting every alternative.
The findings support four approaches to restorative travel: disconnecting from work, revisiting emotionally meaningful places, seeking awe-inspiring experiences and avoiding excessive comparison when planning activities.
