Why Do I Hate Vacations (All The Reasons)

Vacations should be the time of the year everyone should be looking forward to. After your long days working or studying you are finally presented with well-deserved time and TLC for yourself and your loved ones. 

I am sure you are presented with those TV ads or online commercials of fantastic holidays, lying and sunbathing on the beach or sitting on the deck of that gorgeous lake house in the mountains. 

Not all vacations, however, are equal. Family holidays can be more stressful as a lot of planning needs to go into it before you have even arrived. In many ways, it’s almost planning how your life could change for a week or two and preparing intensely for it. 

My vacations as a kid were awesome. You had to plan nothing, hop into a car or plane and everything was being taken care of. I remember the disappointment in my parent’s eyes when I refused to jump into the sea, I just didn’t feel like it. Retrospectively I can understand their frustration. Planning and spending money to grant their children a nice holiday on a seaside resort is no easy feat. 

I remember a teacher in school who never took holidays the way we know them. He just stayed at home or in the local region and pursued his many hobbies. He regarded weekends as holidays as its free time which was the most important thing to him. Not the place or experience many people are after when booking vacations. 

Let’s dig into why people dislike or even hate vacations. Let’s go on a trip!

Why do people hate vacations?

Let’s go through a few examples and reasons why people could hate vacations. Not everyone is the same so we did a bit of digging around and found the following the most likely reasons. 

Money

Let’s face it, holidays are not cheap. Imagine having to fork out a few thousand for a family holiday every single year or maybe even a few times a year if you can afford it. That’s a lot of money which could be used otherwise. 

The recent pandemic has shown that holidays can also be made more affordable if you restrict yourself to holidays in your own country. I experienced it myself and I have to say it was eye-opening how much cheaper you can make your holiday by not flying abroad. 

I don’t know about you but for me, a holiday has to be either to relax and wind down or experience something new, a new country, lifestyle, culture, etc. If you’re just after relaxation, you don’t have to usually fly 10,000 miles around the globe. 

Stress

Yes, planning a holiday for your family can be stressful. Get the dates right, get transport sorted, the rooms, check facilities and other day trips you can do to set yourself up for the best experience ever. That exact expectation of a holiday of a lifetime sets people up with a lot of stress. 

Social media especially almost demands you to post and update people via photos and videos about how great your holiday is. This unhealthy competition puts a lot of stress on everyone’s mind. Counterintuitive really if you think that a holiday should in fact do the exact opposite and make you feel relaxed. 

The recent pandemic put even more pressure on people in terms of arranging Covid tests and uncertainties surrounding last-minute country lock-down changes. 

Rhythm 

Some people are just happy and attuned in their everyday life. They don’t need a holiday to change their flow. Travelling abroad can also change the climate and time zones which mess up your internal body clock and unsettles your rhythm even more. 

If you ever had to travel for work you will understand how this can really mess with your life’s rhythm. 

Travelling

Travelling can be a pain. I personally like being at airports and in planes but for many, that’s a total waste of time. Sure, if you are travelling in first-class luxury it will be fun but not many can afford such a cosy way of being shipped around the globe. 

Waiting, delays and being in a relatively small place with other people can certainly be daunting for many. Some people are better than others, they find time to read a book or listen to music. For others the very idea of travel is pure panic and horror. 

Being together with Family

Spening too much time with people can be daunting. I get you, I have been there. Holidays are usually planned to spend quality time together with your loved ones. Yes, it can sometimes be full-on and a bit too much without the ability to escape. 

This puts undue additional stress on family relations and can create tensions. The goal, I guess for everyone to have a good time. That’s why its a top priority for parents to select a vacation for everyone to experience something new and at least have everything in place for everyone to have a good time. A nice beach, pool, a great bar, boom, here we go. 

Social Pressure

Increased pressure in school or workplaces to have an exotic holiday you can boast about is really a reflection of the complexity of today’s social environment. People literally would document every single hour of their holiday via Instagram or Facebook in the hope that everyone else sees what great of a time they are having. 

I would say that useless if you are really trying to relax. Who cares whether you are having a great time or not? After all, it only matters if you are enjoying yourself. A great photo or post will not change this reality. 

So my tip is, stay away from your phones and just try to immerse yourself in the holiday. It’s you and your family’s time, the gadgets can wait.

How many vacations per year is normal?

That really depends on where you live and what your contractually allowed holidays are. In addition, your financial situation also plays an important role to answer this question. 

I would say one holiday per calendar year is probably a normal occurrence, at least that’s what it was when I was growing up. 

Why is it so hard to come back from vacation?

The harder it is to come back the better your holiday was! I would say that a holiday is exactly there to relax and enjoy yourself, something you normally can not do daily in your “normal” life. 

A good holiday usually says with you for a good week or two after you are back in the real life. That’s ok and makes you hopefully look forward to your next trip! Start planning.

Are there people who don’t like travelling?

Yes, quite a few people hate travelling. It’s stressful, time-consuming and you are at the mercy of schedules and small places you can’t escape from. Not every travel experience, however, has to be stressful. There are useful routines to get around the aspects of not liking travelling. You could for example listen to music, audiobooks or just music. Immersing yourself in a book or watching a movie on your tablet or phone. 

What are the cons of vacation?

Money, of course, is usually the most mentioned item people associate negatiely with holidays. We also highlighted other points above which are most commonly mentioned as cons when considering planning for a vacation. 

Conclusion

Vacations can be a source of stress for many people. The pressure to have a perfect holiday can be overwhelming, and the cost of travel and accommodation can be prohibitive. For some, the idea of spending time with family members can also be daunting, and the process of travelling can be exhausting. However, vacations can also be a time to relax and enjoy yourself, and there are ways to make the most of your holiday.

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