According to Dr. Eleni Nicolaou, travelers might feel more rejuvenated by planning short trips frequently throughout the year instead of relying on one long trip.
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Dr. Nicolaou is an art therapist and creative wellness expert who specializes in paint-by-numbers projects. If you’ve missed out on the trend, it’s a straightforward way for even the non-artsy to flex their creative skills. At Davincified (as in, Leonardo Davinci), Dr. Nicolaou helps people transform photos into numbered portraits they can paint by hand.
In short, she knows a thing or two about the links between art, rest, and even psychological recovery. That has helped her to become an expert on concepts like switching off the mind to foster well-being—something that many travelers seek out.
Here’s what Dr. Nicolaou has to say about vacation length, and how it could be affecting your ability to truly reset your system.
8 reasons short vacations are better than long vacations for wellbeing, according to an expert
Reason #1: Shorter trips = less planning
“The cognitive load of organizing a big holiday is something people rarely account for,” says Dr. Nicolaou. If you’ve put together a multi-week itinerary before, you know the stress that comes with finetuning such a complex operation. From flights to layover times to travel insurance, it can be a doozy. Short trips require less planning, especially those that are closer to home, making it easy for you to enjoy the journey.
Reason #2: Short trips generate faster mental switch-offs
Even if you’re staying in one location for the duration of a long trip, you might not actually start unwinding for a few days. In other words, you might not start to reset until you’ve adjusted to your new surroundings.
Shorter trips don’t necessarily let us switch off faster—but they will interrupt our current stress patterns and routines. That can help the mind break through to find a more restful state, even after returning home.
Reason #3: Shorter trips are more attainable
According to Dr. Nicolaou, short trips give us the chance to take more regular recovery trips. Instead of saving up money and vacation days for a far-off, one-time trip, short trips don’t require as much forethought or saving. Instead of one big battery charge, Dr. Nicolaou says, short trips are like topping up your charge.
Reason #4: Lower pressure for perfection
The longer the trip, the more pressure there is to put together an airtight itinerary. Shorter trips have less planning stress, along with less pressure to get it right. Instead, short trips are more whimsy-friendly, meaning you don’t need to plan out every minute. As Dr. Nicolaou puts it, “You can just be somewhere different for a few days without any pressure. That lightness is quite restorative.”
Reason #5: Short trips give you more to look forward to
Again, if you’re able to plan multiple short getaways throughout the year instead of one or two long-term trips, you’ve got more to look forward to. Instead of dreaming of a getaway that’s months away, short trips give you more chances to explore the world—which can have a measurable positive impact on our moods and sense of purpose, according to Dr. Nicolaou.
Reason #6: Short trips encourage you to stay present
Dr. Nicolaou says, “If your mind is half on your to-do list or what you still want to squeeze in before the trip ends, you’re not truly switched off. Short breaks often make it easier to just be where you are.” While it might seem unlikely that it’s easier to enjoy the present moment when time is limited, it might actually be easier for the mind to wander to stressful places when time is on your side.
Reason #7: Short trips foster creativity
Here’s where Dr. Nicolaou’s expert knowledge of creativity comes in: She knows that it thrives on change. According to the doctor, a couple of days is all the mind and body need to come back with a fresh perspective. That new perspective can do wonders for our creativity, letting us break loose from negative patterns and stagnation.
Reason #8: No big re-entry shock
It’s easy to get a vacation hangover after a long, satisfying stint. If you dread the comedown from an excellent vacation, short trips can help you stay grounded. According to Dr. Nicolaou, returning from short trips can feel more manageable than a long journey, as you won’t feel as out of sync with your day-to-day life.
