The simpler the way to go on holiday, the happier it is

Holidays are a moment to unwind and refresh your mind to be happier.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO (PRI)

Children playing in the fountain, which is one of the attractions of Taman Puring in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta on Wednesday (1/5/2024). Taman Puring is one of the city parks that is crowded with visitors on holidays.

The long weekend moment has always been a target for people when planning vacations. The goal is to make your soul and mind fresh and feel happy after refreshing. However, often after the holidays you feel exhausted and exhausted due to the high stress pressure during the holidays. There are a number of ways to avoid this.

In general, holiday activities or also called recreation have the meaning of refreshment. Recreation is a loan word from Dutch, namely recreatie, which means an activity carried out by a person or a group with the aim of refreshing their physical and spiritual condition. Therefore, the main purpose and function of vacationing or recreation is to make your body and soul feel fresh again after being overwhelmed by fatigue due to daily routines.

Recreational activities are diverse, ranging from those that can be done alone, limited to immediate family members, to those done in groups. Some can be done indoors, while others may even involve travelling abroad. Whatever the activity may be, as long as it can create feelings of happiness and relaxation, it can be considered recreation.

Some people consider organizing and cleaning their belongings at home during holidays as a recreational choice. The feeling of happiness and satisfaction when it is done, and seeing the house in a clean and neat condition can be a refreshing mental and physical activity. On the other hand, there are those who go on vacations out of town, outside of the island, or even abroad with a series of budget preparations and planning.

When there are so many variations and methods of recreational activities, this raises questions. What kind of holiday will have a more optimal refreshing effect?

Also read: Long Holiday Weekend, Train Passengers in Malang Increase 30 Percent

KOMPAS/FAKHRI FADLURROHMAN

The atmosphere of the visitors during their vacation in the Old Town area of Jakarta on Wednesday (5/1/2024). Residents took advantage of the national holiday of Labor Day to go on vacation in the Old Town. The Old Town has become a favorite location for tourists to spend their holidays.

Benefits of vacation

A study on the benefits of vacations to one's happiness is included in a report titled "Vacationers Happier, but Most not Happier After a Holiday". The research was conducted by Jeroen Nawijn, a lecturer at Breda University in the Netherlands, along with his team. The study involved 1,530 people in the Netherlands with two groups of respondents, those who often vacation and those who never or rarely vacation.

In a group of travelers with 974 respondents, their level of happiness was measured before and after their vacation. Meanwhile, a comparison group of 556 non-travelers was used as a basis for measuring their level of happiness compared to the travelers.

The results of the study show that during holiday preparations, the level of happiness among travelers is higher compared to respondents who do not travel. Statistically, the average happiness score obtained by the group of travelers is 2.25, while those who are not travelers only scored 2.07. It is mentioned that these figures significantly indicate the high or low level of happiness of each group of respondents.

The factor that increases a person's happiness before a vacation is during the preparation phase that creates a sense of enthusiasm. People experience a feeling of excitement when making travel plans and choosing tourist destinations. In their imagination, the joy that will be gained when the traveling moment arrives is already pictured. All of this is based on a situation that is still imagined to be ideal, meaning that everything goes according to plan.

However, the study also produced interesting findings, where there was a contradiction among respondents who had returned from traveling. Most respondents had a level of happiness that was equal to respondents who did not travel.

Also read: ”Long Weekend”, A Fun Picnic Moment to Refresh Your Mind

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

Thousands of visitors crowded Ragunan Wildlife Park, South Jakarta, Thursday (11/4/2024). They want to spend the Eid holiday with their family.

This phenomenon occurs due to the post-holiday effects that travelers must face. Some things that need to be considered include physical fatigue after traveling, as well as formal workers potentially facing a backlog of work left behind during the vacation. There is also a financial aspect that diminishes due to expenses made for vacation purposes, while at the same time requiring a significant amount of costs for other needs.

Several realities that travelers have to face become factors that erode their happiness after vacation. Therefore, the happiness level between respondents who went on vacation and those who did not became almost equal in condition.

Expect post-holiday happy effects

So, how do you choose the right way to go on holiday so that the post-holiday happy effects can be felt for a longer duration?

In a further research study conducted by Jeroen Nawijn, an academic who specializes in the field of tourism, it revealed how people's level of happiness is after a vacation. Nawijn's study titled "Happiness Through Vacationing: Just a Temporary Boost or Long-Term Benefits?" uncovers two important things that travelers should pay attention to.

Firstly, overall, the level of happiness between those who take vacations and those who do not is not significantly different. Nevertheless, travellers tend to be slightly happier, especially during the moments of preparation for travel. The second finding is that the frequency of vacations in a year does not contribute to an increase in feelings of happiness.

Based on the two continuous research findings, it can be said that a vacation with a travel model lasting several days to tourist destinations is apparently ineffective in refreshing one's mind and body.

Also read: Previously Abandoned Land, Now Successfully Becoming a Tourist Destination

KOMPAS/FAKHRI FADLURROHMAN

Tourists enjoy the sunset view at Seminyak Beach, Badung Regency, Bali, on Friday (10/5/2024). Bali Island has a number of exotic beaches that pamper tourists, especially for those who want to enjoy the atmosphere from afternoon to sunset.

A holiday model that can be maximally beneficial is one that is considered to be low-energy and low-cost. Because by spending too much energy and money, it actually becomes a burden when the holiday is over.

Some of the simplest alternative ways of recreation are enjoying quality time with yourself or with your immediate family. The chosen activities can be eating together, chatting and chatting. Socializing with family members can raise a positive mood.

A simpler way can be done by isolating oneself and enjoying a cup of coffee, tea, or favorite drink, accompanied by favorite snacks while listening to music or watching favorite series or movies. This can trigger endorphins that cause the brain and body to relax and be happy.

Therefore, vacations don't have to be far and they don't have to be expensive. Vacations don't have to involve sitting in traffic or being cramped at tourist destinations. This is because instead of getting a refreshing experience for the mind and body, exhaustion is what's brought back home.

What's more, recreation doesn't need to always rely on long weekends or holiday seasons. Recreation can also be done alone at any time and in any place. If you want to have recreation as a family, even with children, you can choose a city park or green open space, you don't have to go to tourist attractions that get lots of visitors during the holidays. As much as possible, avoid recreation during peak holidays because it has the potential to cause fatigue and tiredness. (R&D COMPAS)