Holidays are essential for a healthy mind and a healthy body. Studies have shown that doing the exact same things over and over again numb your brain and lower your moral. The monotony and the routine are the greatest enemies of happiness. We all need to take some time off from our stressing jobs, from our daily chores and from the tiresome lack of variety.

Unfortunately we are all destined to work more and party less. That is why we should spend very carefully the little time we have for recreation and to try to get the best out of it.

I have made a list of things that make a short holiday (let's say a three-day weekend) seem longer. This is an opened list so please feel free to add from your own experience any other piece of advice.

1....