8 Reasons to Start Planning Your Next Vacation Right Now

In this always-on economy, taking time off to relax, rest and recharge has never been more vital to our wellbeing. Research shows that planning a vacation can provide a host of positive benefits, including increased physical health, happiness and career success.

So, in case you needed any more excuses to plan your next adventure, we've got you covered. Here are 8 reasons to start planning your dream getaway, right away:

1. Planning ahead gets you there

The longer in advance you plan your vacation, the more likely you are to go.

A recent survey of more than 7,000 American workers showed that those who set aside dedicated time to plan their vacations in advance were more likely to actually book their tickets.¹ So if you want to make that desk-bound daydream a reality, get planning now.

2. A long-term plan means a longer vacation

Planners tend to take longer vacations, too, with 75% taking over a week at a time, compared to the 0-3 days taken by non-planners. That’s a big difference in R ‘n R…

3. Freedom comes stress-free

Travel-related stress can rob the experience of any meaningful gain in happiness. According to happiness researcher Shawn Achor in the Harvard Business Review, "Poorly planned and stressful vacations eliminate the positive benefit of time away."²

On the other hand, his research found that 94% of people who planned vacations over a month in advance reported higher levels of energy and happiness when returning to work, because planning in advance removes the stress that can accompany poorly planned trips. Get organized to get energized.

4. Travelers are more likely to get a raise

Contrary to popular belief, passing up on vacation time won’t get you ahead in the workplace. Employees who take all their days off generally perform better than those who don't, and recent statistics from Project Time Off suggest that employees who use all their vacation time are just as likely to receive promotions, raises and bonuses.¹

5. Day dreaming makes us happy

According to a 2010 study published in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life, the happiest part of a vacation occurs before you leave for the airport.³ The excitement and anticipation we get from dreaming of adventures to come delivers a significant boost in overall happiness. The further in advance you plan, the more happiness you’ll experience.

6. Maximize the experience without maxing out your credit card

Planning a trip well in advance gives you more time to save for it in full, while allowing you to space out payments for various aspects of the experience without having to max out that credit card.

Paying for things like accommodations, tours and day trips ‘bit-by-bit’ spreads the financial load out over time, minimizing stress and giving you the space to shop around for the best deals and packages.

This is a big benefit of building a goals-based financial plan with BrightPlan, you can set a savings target and track your travel fund each month to be sure you're ready to pay long before your stay. 

7. You pay less when you plan ahead.

In their annual survey of over 1.5 billion airfares, Cheapair.com found that the best time to book a flight is between 47 to 76 days in advance, depending on the season. For more popular destinations, like Hawaii, the best time to book is up to 11 months in advance. Booking flights and other aspects of your trip early helps you to spend less, save more, and lock in the best reservations and flight times before they fill up.

8. Freedom feels free

By planning and paying for a vacation (or anything else) now and enjoying it later, you can decouple the pain of spending from the pleasure of your trip.

In fact, the more distance you put between paying for a trip and the trip itself, the more “free” (and stress-free) the experience will feel. This is thanks to a phenomenon called prospective accounting, which states that people who consume something paid for well in advance enjoy it as if it were free.

What are you waiting for?

There you have it – science says you’re long overdue for a dream vacation! Why not get the wheels in motion and set a travel goal with BrightPlan? We’ll help you strategize a workable financial plan that will get you places, from the beaches of Belize to the hot baths of Iceland.

Sources:

1.  2017 Project Time Off Survey 

2. When a Vacation Reduces Stress, and When it Doesn't. Harvard Business Review. 2014. 

3. Vacationers Happier, but Most Not Happier After a Holiday. Applied Research in Quality of Life, Volume 5, Issue 1. 2010.