Top 10 signs you need a vacation

Seven in 10 Americans say they are already in vacation mode three days before departure.

According to a new survey that analyzed 2,000 general population Americans and their vacation habits, over half (59%) of Americans are already “mentally OOO” before they write their out-of-office email.

The survey found that 47% of employed respondents said they struggle to focus at work in the days leading up to a vacation.

Another 75% of workers said they’ve experienced mental fog at work very recently.

The survey, which was conducted by Talker Research on behalf of CheapCaribbean, also revealed the top five signs respondents said signaled to them that they desperately needed a vacation: feeling burnt out (62%), catching themselves daydreaming about a trip (45%) and getting irritated with others (44%).

Other key indicators were feeling fatigued no matter how much sleep they got (39%) and having low energy even on weekends (35%).

The results also detailed that being mentally checked out too soon or being so burnt out you need the vacation can lead to lapses; the items people are likely to forget when packing included phone chargers (28%) toothbrushes and toothpaste (24%).

Headphones and earbuds (19%), as well as sunglasses (18%), also made the list of commonly forgotten items.

“Taking time off to relax and recharge is so important,” said Dana Studebaker, Vice Present of Marketing, Consumer Brands, CheapCaribbean. “Whether it's lounging on a beach or exploring a new destination, vacations let you reset and come back with a fresh perspective.

The research went on to explore how, when it comes to packing, preparing and planning, time is always appreciated — the survey found that even people who prefer spontaneous trips (45%) need at least three days on average to pack everything and plan ahead.

Planning a vacation isn’t without its own stress, however. Respondents reported feeling worried the most about money/budget (54%), packing (28%) and booking hotels (17%).

A further 28% admit to feeling anxious about planning leading up to a trip.

But pre-trip concerns don’t affect everyone equally — over a a third (36%) can be ‘trip ready’ in a day or less and a flexible 16% can be ready in just a few hours.

When it comes to the ideal pre-trip preparation, the “perfect balance” was just that — an equal weighting between 50% spontaneity and 50% planned out.

One in three respondents said they currently have a trip booked and a similar number (31%) said they daydream about being on vacation daily.

The mental benefits of knowing a trip is coming up outweigh the stress of preparation. In fact, over 87% of those surveyed said having a vacation planned helps their mental well-being.

What’s more, people who said they already have a trip booked reported being happier on a 10-point scale (7.6) versus those without a trip booked (6.8).

“It’s clear that simply having a vacation on the calendar has a positive impact on people’s overall happiness,” added Michael Lowery, Head of Global Consumer Business, CheapCaribbean.. “And a sense of anticipation and the knowledge that relaxation is to come can really make a difference day to day.”

TOP SIGNS PEOPLE NEED A VACATION
● Feeling burnt out (62%)
● Daydreaming about a trip (45%)
● Getting irritated with others (44%)
● Feeling fatigued no matter how much you sleep (39%)
● Having low energy even on weekends (35%)
● Feeling brain fog (35%)
● Completely forgetting tasks (17%)
● Misplacing items (14%)
● Making mistakes at work (8%)
● Checking emails even when you’re off the clock (7%)

TOP 10 MOST FORGOTTEN ITEMS WHEN PACKING FOR A TRIP

● Phone charger (28%)
● Toothbrush & toothpaste (24%)
● Headphones or earbuds (19%)
● Sunglasses (18%)
● Sunscreen (18%)
● Body care products (17%)
● Power adapter (16%)
● Hairbrush (15%)
● Skincare products (15%)
● Hand sanitizer (14%)

Survey methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans; the survey was commissioned by CheapCaribbean and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Feb. 19 – Feb. 21, 2025.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:
● Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
● Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in
Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:
● Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
● Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
● Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
● Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once
It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.