Here’s the scientific reason why you shouldn’t book a ‘two-week’ holiday
It's not too late to change your plans
If you’re still waiting to take your first ‘proper’ holiday of 2018, it might be because you’re saving up your leave to use it all in one go.
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You’ve figured out when’s best to book flights, and you’re looking forward to getting out of the country (after catching up with the coolest holiday destinations), but you haven’t yet figured out how to make the best use of a fortnight away.
Well, there may be a scientific reason for cutting your trip short, or at the very least spending your two weeks away doing two very different things.
Psychologist and author Daniel Kahneman has explained why that two-week holiday you’re planning on taking might see you miss out on certain benefits, and it’s all down to behavioural science.
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As reported by Business Insider, Kahneman’s findings relate to how individuals’ psychology can be divided into the ‘experiencing self’ and the ‘remembering self’.
Essentially, a longer holiday in one place or (broadly) doing one thing is great for the former, but you’ll eventually reach the point where the benefit to the ‘remembering self’ isn’t increasing at the same pace.
When it comes to the ‘remembering self’, more, shorter holidays can be more beneficial. This is because each trip can create a new memory to cherish, whereas two weeks in one place – while great for your in-the-moment ‘experiencing self’ – can just as easily end up leaving you with just the one longer-term memory.
And, of course, your experiencing self only really reaps the benefits of the trip itself (and, to a degree, the time spent preparing), whereas you’ll have your memories of it forever.
That said, there are occasions when you just need a two-week holiday, and often this comes down to short-term benefit being more important than creating a multitude of memories. Only you know what’s more important to you.
There’s also the option of booking two weeks away with a big split between weeks one and two, such as a city break followed by a week on the beach, or a longer road trip.
Now all that’s left is to figure out the best places to visit, depending on which month of the year you’re looking to go on holiday. Oh, and one or two other flying hacks wouldn’t go amiss.
(Images: Getty)
