We were reading such an interesting psychological study the other day. It looked at the positive psychological benefits to taking a holiday. Granted, we’re no psychologists, but we couldn’t agree more with their findings, and thought they may be interesting to share with our guests.

It’s been a taxing year in so many ways – physically, emotionally, financially, it’s just been a lot. Rightfully, we followed our President’s orders to stay at home, with many of us still working from home and doing our best to avoid populated areas. With countries like the UK and the USA still struggling to get infections under control, it truly does seem as though our planet will be fighting to get back to some form of normal deep into 2021.

There are calculated risks that may be worth taking though, this article implies. There are immense psychological benefits to getting away that we’ve been missing out on for so many months. Let’s take a look at them:

Travel enhances creativity

Lockdown forced the majority of us into home offices. Some of the time it wasn’t too bad – the commute was a breeze and who doesn’t love being a few steps away from the fridge, right? But you’re likely to be feeling more creatively drained than any other year simply because your scenery hasn’t changed in months. There’s only so much reorganising your workspace can do in terms of tricking your brain – it’s like opening a window, sometimes you’ve got to let fresh air in to get the stale air out. Even if it’s just a holiday in your own town or province, research shows it’s a good way of refilling the creativity tanks.

Travel can have a positive impact on your personality

Only the ridiculously positive have been able to keep a smile on their face all the way through this year. It’s natural to feel a bit grumpy about circumstances that aren’t just affecting you, your family or your country, but the world at large. The article we read shared how getting out of your comfort zone – like when you travel to somewhere you haven’t been before – is helpful in knocking off the rust on our social skills and can help your overall outlook on life. Imagine that!

Travel assists with stress relief

Granted, there are some moms who may see this headline and skip past it straight away – there’s definitely a minor stress spike in the lead up to a holiday while you check your bookings or that everyone’s packed what they’re meant to. But there’s a key moment in everyone’s holiday when the stress gets taken off like coat, sighing off the worries that we’ve left behind. For some, it’s the moment when you sit down in your seat before you leave, knowing you’ve successfully made it on time and can start relaxing. For others, it’s that moment when your bags hit the hotel room floor and you flop onto the bed. For others still, it’s sighing into the first cold beverage you pick up from the bar – the point is, we all have that moment when we click into holiday mode that does absolute wonders for our stress levels.

Travelling makes you happy right from the planning phase

Have you ever checked on tomorrow’s weather and smiled because it’s exactly what you wanted? This is the same thing! Research shows that holidays aren’t only good for you during the time you spend away from home but can start benefiting you right from the planning phase, as you picture all the fun, soul-filling activities you’re going to be doing. Sometimes it’s lying in, sometimes it’s parachuting – we don’t judge, we’re here for you all the same.

Travelling strengthens relationships

Everyone’s got at least one memory of a time they went somewhere as a family, it’s a special moment of togetherness. We often even forget the difficulties we were facing during those times just because the glorious time together outshines that by far. The article states that the togetherness experienced by those that travel together helps mend relationships, rekindle romances and generally set the scene for a great time together!

At City Lodge Hotel Group, we truly care about our guests’ well-being – which extends far past the time they spend with us at our hotels. That’s been a big driving force behind the protocols we’ve implemented to ensure our guests are safe while under our care – loved ones and the communities around us are counting on it!

So, in the name of getting out of the house, we have some great news! Earlier this year we ran a special that aimed to help you reclaim your weekends from the long list of never-ending chores. This promotion was so successful that we decided to bring it back, in an even bigger and better way!

Meet the WKND Special

When you think about it, everyone has some form of holiday over year-end. Sometimes it’s just a few days, sometimes it’s far too many weeks. What rings true for all of us though is that December vibe – it’s a bit similar to the feeling we get over a weekend, but so much better! We came to the conclusion that the December/January holiday period is essentially just one looooong weekend!

With that being said, it makes sense that any booking made between 1 December 2020 and 31 January 2021 qualifies for our brand new and improved WKND Special. Get a fantastic rate, get the holiday you deserve and get the psychological benefits of taking a holiday! To find out more, visit: https://clhg.com/specials