Have you ever felt that the way home from work or school is faster than the way home? If yes, you are not alone. Many people experience this phenomenon, which is called the “return trip effect”. So, what actually causes this?
Return Trip Effect
Return trip effect is a psychological phenomenon where the journey home from a place feels faster than the journey to that place. Even though the distance and time traveled are the same, we tend to feel it takes longer when leaving than when returning. There are several scientific explanations for why this happens.
One of the scientists who researched this phenomenon is Niels van de Ven , a psychologist from the Netherlands. He conducted several experiments measuring the time perception of people traveling by bus, bicycle, or watching videos. The results show that people who have high hopes of arriving at their destination faster, but it takes longer than expected, will experience the return trip effect. This is called a violation of expectation, or violation of expectations.
Another explanation is that the journey home feels more familiar and predictable than the journey leaving. Previous research has shown that new and unfamiliar tasks take longer to perform than familiar tasks. This is because we have to expend greater effort to notice new things around us. When we go home, we already know what we will see and do, so time seems to go by faster. The return trip effect phenomenon is often experienced by many people in everyday life. For example, when we go to a tourist spot we have never visited before, or when we wake up late and rush to work or school. Maybe you have also felt it yourself.
But when we get home, we already know what we’re going to face. We are familiar with the route, traffic and surrounding environment. We also feel more relaxed and relieved because we have completed our tasks or activities. This makes us feel that time goes faster.
There are also other psychological factors that have an influence, such as hope, attention, and emotions. We tend to expect that the journey home will be faster than the journey out, because we want to get home as soon as possible. We also tend to pay less attention to details or new things along the way, because we are used to the scenery. We also tend to be happier and more satisfied when we go home, because we have achieved our goal.
Experiences of People Who Have Experienced the Return Trip Effect
Facebook users named Bunda Ria Depok and Arifin experienced the Return Trip Effect. According to him, because when he comes home from work, his brain works lighter and he doesn’t think about when he will arrive.
From here we can know that this is a common thing and is experienced by many people in general.
How to Overcome the Return Trip Effect
So, how to overcome the return trip effect? There are several things we can do.
Firstly , we can try to make the journey home more interesting and varied, for example by changing the route, listening to different music or podcasts, or stopping in new places.
Second , we can try to reduce our expectations about the duration of the journey home, for example by not focusing too much on the clock or GPS, or by assuming that the journey home will be the same length as the journey away.
Third , we can try to enjoy the journey process itself, not just the destination. That way, we can feel more relaxed and satisfied with our travel experience.
The journey home can feel faster than the journey out, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore it. The trip home can also be an opportunity to reflect on your day, plan things you want to do at home, or just relax and enjoy the view. That way, you can make your trip more meaningful and enjoyable.
Or maybe you are someone who likes faster travel? If yes then that’s no problem, the method above is only intended for those of you who want to enjoy the trip home longer.
