Why do our vacations slip through our fingers?

IN BRIEF

Time perception influenced by activities.
Holidays are often associated with positive emotions, speeding up the feeling of time.
Influence of sleep on mood and temporal perception.
Paying attention to time during breaks can make it filter faster.
Multiplying new activities contributes to a high mental load.
Adopting mindfulness to savor the present moment.
Avoiding excessive planning can extend the feeling of duration.

Every year, when the holidays arrive, many people feel that same unpleasant sensation: vacations seem to evaporate in the blink of an eye. This phenomenon, far from being trivial, can be explained by psychological and neuropsychological mechanisms that influence our perception of time. Through an analysis of the various factors at play, we will attempt to better understand why our moments of respite seem so fleeting.

The perception of time and the influence of emotions

The perception of time is subjective and fluctuates based on our emotions and state of mind. During the holidays, when we are often more relaxed and surrounded by positive feelings, time seems to fly faster. Joyful emotions, such as excitement and happiness, can lead to a rapid perception of the passage of time. Indeed, a neurotransmitter, dopamine, plays a key role in this phenomenon. When released, it creates an acceleration of our temporal sensation, thus reinforcing the impression that happy moments disappear quickly.

Mental load and mindfulness

Under normal circumstances, daily mental load can influence our perception of time. During holidays, we often tend to engage in a multitude of activities, which, paradoxically, can make us feel like time is passing even faster. Multiplying enriching experiences can quickly turn into a frantic succession of events, where each moment seems to slip away instead of being savored. In contrast, practicing mindfulness, that is to say, being fully present in each moment, can counterbalance this sensation. Taking the time to enjoy each moment, to marvel at a landscape or to savor a good meal is about anchoring our experience in the present.

The impact of lifestyle rhythm and habits

Our usual rhythms of life also play a role in the feeling that holidays pass too quickly. When a daily routine structures our days, the brain tends to align its temporal markers with this routine. Holidays, on the other hand, are often marked by changes. These new experiences, although enriching, can create an overload of information to process, which can give the impression that time accelerates. To counter this, it is essential to cultivate moments of calm, rest, and to appreciate the little things before they turn into fleeting memories.

The contrast between anticipation and reality

Moreover, the contrast between the anticipation of vacations and their unfolding can enhance this feeling of fleetingness. Before departure, we often have high expectations regarding our holidays, whether related to activities to be done or moments spent with loved ones. When we are on vacation, this redistribution of expectations can lead to realizing that the time spent on each activity is ultimately insufficient, fueling feelings of nostalgia and regret at the end of these moments.

The role of routine and predictability

Finally, routine plays a significant role in our perception of time. Moments that occur within a predictable and routine framework seem to stretch, while moments of novelty and uncertainty seem to vanish quickly. When we experience vacations full of surprises and unforeseen events, our brain does not have time to adjust to a norm, creating a sense of intensity and a stronger appreciation for these periods, but they can disappear in a flash.