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Thursday, January 30, 2014

I read it on the internet it has to be true

In the article  10 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Incredibly Happy (Try one. Try them all. They work. Science says so.) Jeff Haden gives us "Proven Way 7.”

7. Plan a Trip: It Helps Even if You Don’t Actually Take One

His Proven Way is based upon a study by Applied Research in Quality of Life in which researchers showed that the highest spike in happiness came during the planning stage of a vacation, or break from work, and not the actual vacation. He writes:

“In the study, the effect of vacation anticipation boosted happiness for eight weeks. After the vacation, happiness quickly dropped back to baseline levels for most people.”

So I plan a vacation, not take it,  and reap the benefits of a happiness spike?  Really??
Digging further into the study Jeff based his article on, I discovered that the test subjects all went on a vacation. A real vacation. They did not, in fact, pretend to be going on one. They did not plan a trip, anticipate it, look forward to it with excitement sparkling in their eyes, and then not actually take it. 

Jeff Haden, it appears, exercised creative license in coming up with Proven Way 7.  But wait. Even if science did not explicitly “say so” he did, with his implied “It Helps.” Thank you Jeff! Let’s see whether or not it does help me feel “Incredibly Happy”. I’ll be my own Guinea Pig, preferable to being a Lab Rat! I wonder whether my guy Van will come along.

Me: "Van, honey. I'm going to plan a vacation for us, and then NOT go on it." 
Van:  "Why would you want to waste your time on that?' (He’s looking at me funny, like I’ve had too much tequila, or not enough.)
Me: "Seriously - "It's an an exercise in happiness.  I read it on the internet. A study showed that whether you go on vacation or not, when you plan an escape, you can have a 'Feeling Better Off' feeling for up to eight weeks!"
Van: "You read that on the internet?"(Incredulous)
Me: "Yeah so it has to be true."
Van: (Looking at me like I am an idiot) "That's dumb. If I'm going to spend my time planning a vacation, then I am going to actually go on it."
Me: (Gears shifting and silently scheming to plan a trip and then actually go on it) "Well when I don't go on my vacation, can I take you with me me?" (Feeling “Incredibly Happy” already.)



Read the original article here: Vacationers Happier, but Most not Happier After a Holiday

Happy Vacationers
Will they be just as happy after their Holiday?


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