Health & Swellness

Be happier — by looking forward to a vacay

February 22, 2010

I’m dreaming of getting away from this dreary grey weather and the daily grind. And so I was particularly intrigued by a new study published in Applied Research in Quality of Life that found that it’s in the time leading up to a vacation that those going away are happier than non-vacationers. Once you’re back home from vacation, your happiness isn’t boosted — although there is a slight rise in your happiness levels for the first two weeks your back home if your vacation was particularly relaxing.

And so I’m throwing myself into planning a vacation in the next month or so. The pic above is now the wallpaper on my computer, and here are just some of the travel essentials I will be packing.

1. Sennheiser‘s brand new PXC-250 II improves on its patented NoiseGard technology to cancel out ambient noise, helping you drown out that crying baby seated behind you on your four-hour flight. (Plus, I think these headphones would be mighty handy escaping the surroundings on public transit every day, too — dude next to me on the streetcar yesterday was drinking a 40-oz beer. For real).

2. And what will I be listening to on my PXC-250 II’s? The new This American Life iPhone app is just $3 and you get access to all of their archived episodes (dating back to 1995!), not to mention view sample clips of the TAL TV show. A girlfriend and I were chatting about how we are both majorly crushing on host Ira Glass, he’s just so everything — funny, intelligent, witty…sigh.

3. I often don’t pack beauty tools like tweezers when I go away…and then inevitably find myself with a broken nail or that one errant brow hair that glares out at me whenever I look in the mirror. My Tagalongs Handywoman’s Kit ($12) solves both of these problems. It comes complete with scissors, knife, tweezers, nail file, toothpick and pen, all packed into a kit barely bigger than a credit card.

4. Somehow tweezers seem too fussy to bring with me on a trip, and yet I do make space in my luggage for a candle — just makes the hotel room a little homier. My new favourite? The Citrus Verveine travel candle ($20) from San Fran-based company Elizabeth W. Could be because I’m a little Vampire Diaries-obsessed lately…although the verveine would keep Damon Salvatore out of my room — maybe I should consider a different scented candle. :)

Entry Filed under: Beauty, Culture, Travel. Tags: gear, happiness, holiday, TV, vacation.