After The Wall Street Journal interviewed me about planning the perfect weekend, I had the opportunity to speak with The Washington Post about another important question:
What is the ideal vacation length for reducing stress and increasing happiness?
With vacation season in full swing, here are the biggest takeaways from the research—and the advice I shared.
Quick Answer: How Long Should a Vacation Be?
According to research and experts interviewed by The Washington Post, about one week is often the ideal vacation length for many people.
Three decisions determine whether a vacation actually feels restorative:
- The length of the trip
- The transition back to work
- Whether you recreate vacation experiences at home
Does Culture Affect How Long You Should Take Vacation?
Yes.
My biggest takeaway from working with professionals globally is that cultural expectations influence how comfortable people feel taking extended time off.
For example:
- In many parts of Europe, taking several weeks—or even a full month—of vacation during the summer is common.
- In the United States, employees often worry about falling behind or creating additional work for themselves when they’re away for long periods.
This doesn’t mean people shouldn’t take longer vacations. Rather, it’s important to understand how workplace culture and expectations shape the experience before, during, and after time away.
How to Reduce Stress When Returning From Vacation
One of the biggest mistakes people make is scheduling their return too tightly.
Whenever possible, build in a buffer day after a longer vacation.
Use that time to:
- unpack luggage
- do laundry
- buy groceries
- catch up on personal tasks
- mentally transition back into everyday life
Returning home late Sunday evening only to start work early Monday often eliminates much of the restorative benefit of the trip.
Should You Schedule Meetings Immediately After Vacation?
I generally recommend avoiding meetings during your first day back, if your schedule allows.
Instead, use that time to:
- process your inbox
- review priorities
- organize projects
- plan your week
Creating this transition period helps you return to work feeling prepared rather than immediately overwhelmed.
Bring Vacation Joy Into Everyday Life
One of the most effective ways to improve well-being is to recreate the parts of vacation you enjoy most throughout the year.
For example:
- Love spending time by the water? Visit a nearby lake or river for an evening walk.
- Enjoy discovering new restaurants while traveling? Explore local restaurants in your own community.
- Look forward to reading on vacation? Schedule regular trips to your local library or set aside uninterrupted reading time at home.
Vacations are valuable, but they aren’t the only source of rest, curiosity, or joy. Small experiences throughout the year can help extend many of the psychological benefits of travel.
Key Takeaways
If you’re wondering how to plan a vacation that leaves you feeling refreshed:
- Aim for about one week when possible.
- Consider taking multiple shorter vacations throughout the year.
- Account for your workplace culture when planning extended time off.
- Build a buffer day before returning to work.
- Avoid scheduling meetings immediately after vacation.
- Incorporate your favorite vacation experiences into everyday life.
These simple strategies can help you return home feeling restored—and stay that way long after your trip ends.
Related: Read the full Washington Post feature, “The Ideal Vacation Length for Peak Relaxation, According to Experts,” to explore additional research and expert perspectives on planning more restorative vacations.
About Real Life E
Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time management coach and best-selling author who empowers individuals who feel guilty, overwhelmed and frustrated to feel peaceful, confident and accomplished. She helps people struggling with new levels of responsibility after receiving a promotion or becoming a parent, who aren’t meeting expectations at work, or who need better work-life balance to overcome burnout.
Elizabeth was named one of the World’s Top 30 Time Management Professionals by Global Gurus and is a member of Forbes Coaches Council. McGraw Hill published her first book The 3 Secrets to Effective Time Investment: How to Achieve More Success with Less Stress. Harvard Business Review published her second book How to Invest Your Time Like Money. And FaithWords published her third book Divine Time Management. Elizabeth regularly writes time management articles for Harvard Business Review and Fast Company and has appeared on CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox.
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