Feeling like life is a never-ending treadmill? You’re not alone. Our fast-paced, always-on culture is leaving many of us daydreaming about our next vacation as the only escape. But what if you didn’t have to wait for months for relief? What if the restorative power of a vacation could be found in just a fraction of your day? Science reveals how.
In today’s stressful non-stop culture, finding time to unwind definitely feels like a luxury. Between work deadlines, family responsibilities, and the constant buzz of notifications, it’s no wonder many of us feel stretched to our limits.
This relentless pace leaves many of us longing for escape—a break from the grind where we can recharge, reflect, and reconnect with ourselves. This lack of time for purposeful, restorative activities creates a vicious cycle. As our lives are consumed by tasks and to-do lists, we lose opportunities for self-care, creativity, and meaningful moments that bring joy. This deprivation of inner balance can make us crave longer breaks or even daydream about “dropping everything” just to feel alive again.
For most, the solution seems obvious: more vacation. The idea of stepping away from work and responsibilities to rest feels like the ultimate cure for burnout. Yet, in reality, vacations are often few and far between, and the relief they provide doesn’t last forever once we’re back to our busy schedules.
Meditation: your shortcut to more vacation
So, what if just 15 minutes – and not even spent on negotiation with your boss – could give you the same health benefits as, and replicate the mental and emotional refreshment of a full day of vacation? Sounds too good to be true? In fact it is true! Just fifteen minutes of meditation—a sliver of your day—can help you experience the calm and mindfulness you’ve been searching for. It’s a simple, accessible step toward a more spiritual and purposeful life.
According to a ground-breaking American-Dutch study (“The relative impact of 15-minutes of meditation compared to a day of vacation in daily life.”, published in the Journal of Positive Psychology), a brief session of mindfulness can offer strikingly similar results to lounging on a beach or wandering through the mountains. And the best part? No plane tickets, no packing, and no time off work required. The research explored the benefits of short-term meditation, and compared the effects of meditating for 15 minutes with those of a full vacation day.
For eight weeks, the forty participants in the test group alternated between meditating for 15 minutes, while on alternating days taking no action, and enjoying vacation-like experiences. The study’s results were eye-opening: On meditation days, participants reported reduced negative emotions, enhanced focus, greater emotional stability and feeling more grounded—qualities they also experienced during vacations. Both activities also led to improvements in mindfulness aspects, such as heightened awareness of surroundings and increased emotional stability. Christopher J. May, one of the lead researchers, put it perfectly: “If you’re short on time, you can sit on a meditation pillow for 15 minutes. If you have plenty of time, you can sit on a beach chair.”
More Purposeful & Grounded Modern Life With Meditation
So, intentional practices like a quick meditation session can make a profound difference and deliver many of the same health benefits as a day off. The bonus? Meditation doesn’t require negotiating for more vacation days, planning or expensive plane tickets. A simple meditation session at home can provide similar benefits as one full day of vacation!
For a lot of people peace of mind in the hustle and bustle of everyday life equals weekends and/or getting away on vacation, the thought of overhauling their daily life feels daunting and the idea of spirituality may conjure images of ”monasteries or week-long retreats”. For them this study is a game-changer. Feeling rejuvenated, being less stressed, positive and grounded doesn’t necessarily take extravagant escapes, and spirituality definitely doesn’t have to be complicated – it can easily be integrated into everyday life. As always it takes science a long time to (re)discover what our ancestors already knew.
And you know what? Meditation definitely isn’t just something they do ‘far, far away’. We recommend you listen to the Hamingja Podcast ep 7. There you’ll learn about how all of our ancestors practiced meditation and that you too can feel at home doing so.
