I probably should have covered this earlier in the summer, because most are returning back to school and summer is ending, but really travel is for anytime and not everybody is hindered by school. In Women's Health I read that new experiences can lead to greater happiness. A study at San Francisco State University assessed that spending money on new experiences (not even as big as travel, but restaurant meals, and concert tickets) instead of on possessions led to greater happiness. Assistant professor Ryan Howell said, "Experience provide memory capital. We don't tend to get bored of happy memories like we do material objects." Think about that, it is so true. We accumulate all this STUFF but quickly get bored of it or something nicer or newer comes along and we lose interest in what we have. Clothes go in and out of style, but traveling and memories are always there. So instead of treating yourself to a shopping spree or indulgence, why not expand yourself and plan a trip. It doesn't have to be world travel (it could mean going to a different city nearby or a day spa or just anything simple to break up the monotony of your day. This article led me to further look into the possible aspects of traveling. Most are common sense, but we don't think about them or see travel as something essential. When I read Change Your Brain Change Body it recommended travel to new lands to keep the brain learning and working at optimal efficiency. Let's look at some additional benefits.
Reduce stress: Decreases burnout at work.
Avoid Monotony: Provides a break from the norm and can ignite you with new energy. It prevents your mind and body from stagnating.
Get outdoors: Gets you away from the office and out in the sun and it's wonderful benefits (vitamin D)
Be more active: No matter what kind of travel, you're usually do more than you usually do.
Attitude adjustment: having something to look forward to can break up the monotony of the day.
Meet People: socializing is an important aspect of health and you learn about other cultures and different people as well.
Create memorable experiences: Traveling leaves you feeling more fulfilled and later on in life you won't be regretting all the things you never do. Do it now and not on your death bed.
Reconnect with your partner: if you travel with your significant other it allows for quality time without the chaos of everyday life and responsibilities.
Clear head: travel can put your life in a clear perspective and allow you to determine what is really important in life.
Euphoria: both post and pre-vacation you experience a high and excitement for the coming journey.
Greater productivity: we've all heard of countries in Europe, who have more vacation time, and report greater work productivity.
What to do? Get away- where doesn't really matter. Break up the monotony and experience new things!
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