Scientists Have Unlocked the Secret to Planning a Perfect Vacation

1. Longer doesn't always mean better. Many experts recommend taking shorter, more frequent vacations, and spacing them throughout the year. If you do plan a lengthier trip, eight days is considered the sweet spot for maximum return on investment.

2. Whenever possible, avoid repeating past vacations. Once weve already seen somewhere were not necessarily absorbing whats new about it," said psychiatrist Samantha Boardman. "People who always go to the same place will often sort of start to have memories blur.

3. Build-up and anticipation can often impact your happiness as much as the vacation itself. Try to draw out and relish the planning process for maximum enjoyment later.

4. Maintain as much autonomy as possible. For example, try waking up naturally rather than setting an alarm, or avoid rigid itineraries to give yourself more control over daily activities.

5. Unplugging from work is as important as they say. Avoid checking emails or calling into meetingsit may be frustrating at first, but your productivity will improve in the long run.

6. When possible, try to end things on a high notewe tend to hold on to our last memories of a vacation. Plan a favorite activity for the last day of a trip, and if you've decided to splurge on a business class seat, do it on the return flight.

Read the full article on the Wall Street Journal.