“Anticipation implies a future reward, and rewards are powerful motivators,” – Smith Crawford.
1. Planning and anticipating a trip can be almost as enjoyable as going on the trip itself, and there’s research to back it up. A 2014 Cornell University study delved into how the anticipation of an experience (like a trip) can increase a person’s happiness substantially—much more so than the anticipation of buying material goods. An earlier study, published by the University of Surrey in 2002, found that people are at their happiest when they have a trip planned.
2. Thinking about the future can make you happier in the present. Your willingness to complete mundane tasks is made easier when you are counting down to a trip, and you are more likely to stay focused despite daydreaming about what you’re going to pack!
3. Increases motivation Is there a better motivator for exercise than an upcoming trip that will require physical exertion, like backpacking, lots of walking, or swimming?
If your trip requires a bit of fitness you are way more likely to be motivated to smash those exercise sessions with a bit of pep in your step. Your general motivation is increased with the promise of an exciting adventure ahead and a countdown to go with it.
4. You will be healthier. When you plan your next vacation, it can create positive emotions and expectations,” says Chun-Chu Chen, PhD, assistant professor at the School of Hospitality Business Management at Washington State University, Vancouver, who authored the study which found frequent travelers to have a 7 percent higher level of life satisfaction than non-travelers. When it comes to mental health, a study from the Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin found that women who vacation at least twice a year are less likely to suffer from depression and chronic stress than women who vacation only every two years or less. Similarly, the Global Commission on Aging found that men who don’t take an annual vacation are at a 20% higher risk of death and 30% higher risk of heart disease compared to men who do.
5. Connection with others. There’s nothing quite the shared anticipation of a trip, whether it be with someone you know, or someone you don’t! Many of our adventurers don’t know anyone when they come along on one of our trips, but they have the opportunity to connect with other participants in our Community Page and get planning together.
Time to plan that adventure and give yourself something to look forward to!
