Over the last three years I’ve begun a pattern of 4-5 short trips a year to South-East Asia and Australia, replacing a previous and common tactic of one longer trip per year. People at work often laugh when I tell them I will soon be on another trip again – perhaps not realising that I’m not actually taking that much more leave than they, but rather spreading it out strategically.

With each passing trip I’m increasingly aware of the happiness these trips are bringing me and of the correctness of my decision to travel this way. But in case you’re not convinced, here’s a four-point breakdown of why you should consider more frequent short trips instead of less frequent longer ones.

1. You remember more, and your experiences themselves are more heightened

Over the last three years of going on 4-5 short trips a year to South-East Asia and Australia, I’ve noticed that I remember a lot – if not basically everything – from all these trips. And psychologists agree with me: people who take frequent, shorter trips have more happy memories than those who holiday for an extended period of time.

More interestingly, people tend to mainly remember two key things about a trip: the best part, and the last part. When I think back, I realise that it is indeed the high points and the endpoints of a trip that I remember most. There even seems to be a bit of a trip ‘come-down’ effect that happens right at the end of a trip, when I am aware that the trip is ending so my experiences (and therefore ultimately memories) are heightened.

These ‘best’ and ‘last memories’ only happen once, no matter how long a trip is; but more trips mean more of these ‘best’ and ‘last memories’. Indeed, thinking back to my longer trips, the days often blend in to one another.

It helps that I’ve recently discovered the wonders of the ‘trip playlist’, comprised of about 30 songs I listen to continuously during a particular trip, and then later whenever I want to be immediately transported back. I’ve realised how powerful this tool is for remembering to the extent that I’ve found I can maximise the effect by finding 25-30 suggested songs on Spotify and then avoid listening in advance of the trip so that the playlist has no other associations. Only going to one or two locations while listening to the playlist strengthens its remembering effect considerably.

2. Your happiness and excitement is at its peak within the first, short part of a trip

According to a study published in the Journal of Happiness, well-being and excitement increases rapidly during a trip as we feel the contrast with our usual life, and peaks as early as the eighth day as we become accustomed to the change. Professor Ariely, who teaches at Duke University in North Carolina, notes: “On a long vacation, day seven is less good than day one because it’s not as exciting”. Duke University’s Professer Meyvis similarly refers to an adaptation process that takes place.

When you have four ‘day sevens’ and four lots of great contrast with work, your happiness doesn’t fade – but is multiplied.

3. You don’t have to pace yourself

Looking back on my nine-or-so-night trips versus even my 17-night ones, I realise that on the longer ones I tend to take a different, more paced approach and may spend a night in or miss out on something due to being tired or a perception that I have more time to waste. On shorter stints, I don’t feel the need to pace myself or want to waste time, so pack more in and make the most of it in what ends up being slightly more intense, energised and clearly-remembered time.

Similarly, knowing that I’ll be soon returning to reality, I feel like I can eat whatever I want without worrying about weight gain (you may scoff at this – until you look back at my 12-kilogram weight gain over my 11-week Europe trip and its accompanying increasing malaise). And I feel more inclined to splurge more on spending and accommodation, knowing it’s not a long-term thing.

4. Multiple trips provide more pre-trip and post-trip happiness

According to a 2010 study, just planning or anticipating your trip makes you happier than actually taking it. This means that planning for four trips a year provides more long-term happiness than planning for one, especially as the planning for that one trip will usually be consolidated into the time leading up to the trip.

Thinking about your trip afterwards also provides post-trip happiness, but only if the trip was considered relaxing rather than ‘neutral’ or ‘stressful’ (hello my current love for repeat-visiting favourite South-East Asian beach destinations!).

I know that I’m in a good rhythm now where I spend a few weeks after a trip revelling in the great memories of what I just experienced before switching to excitement about the next upcoming trip. I also no longer experience the end-of-trip depression that often hits people who have no imminent next trip to which to look forward.

So are you feeling that your next trip is too far away and your last one a distant memory? Consider emulating my strategy and scheduling in a few shorter trips. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have blog posts to write about my trip to Thailand a couple of months ago, and ferries to book and songs to add to my playlist for my next trip there in a couple of weeks…