Natascha Nanji is an artist and writer with a background in Anthropology and Fine Art. She contributes to art journals, museums and tech agencies and works with arts organisations to enhance their digital systems and communications. Natascha studied cultural criticism at the Royal College of Art and is co-editor/publisher of LAY IT ON THICK, a literary magazine orbiting themes around desire and erotics.

People are opting out of constant self-improvement

Being+

As the world has opened up this year, many people have been keen to dust off their travel gear and vacation abroad with travel companies eagerly encouraging customers to pick experiences over material purchases. However, the chaos of the post-pandemic world is unrelenting. The cost of international travel is becoming extortionate and inconvenient – every week, airports in disarray make the headlines, and returning from holiday is quickly evolving into an issue for people who face long queues at border control. This combination of factors is seeing many reconsider their holiday needs.

When Americans were ready to fly again, the expectation was that airlines would be ready for them. The reality of summer 2022 is that airlines are scrambling to find pilots and other workers, and passengers and analysts alike are worried the system is poised for more summer meltdowns. 

McKinsey & Co

Wait times at security checkpoints are stretching into hours at some airports, while popular vacation destinations, including Arizona, Florida, and Hawaii, are facing rental-car shortages. Compounding these circumstances is the reality that negative experiences quickly become fodder for viral videos and bad publicity, resulting in customers searching out alternatives that offer more control, including closer drives and rental properties. 

Washington Post

With the stress and anxiety associated with travel peaking, international vacations don’t necessarily offer the same promise of release and relaxation that they once did. Among American travellers, 75% say they are aware of current issues with the US air travel system, such as flight cancellations, delays, and long security lines. 

Destination Analysts

 Uncertainty around flights and holidays are leading people to seeking an easier life, which includes easier travel and vacation experiences. This report will explore the other contexts around why attitudes towards long-haul travel are shifting, and how brands can respond to these so-called seamless seekers.

Gen Zers and Yers report experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety. Indeed, half of Gen Zers and just under four in 10 Gen Yers say they feel stressed or anxious all or most of the time. 

Deloitte

Across both generations, top stress drivers were either financially motivated or concerned about heavy workloads. But a newer trend noted was that the worry about mental health and anxiety was itself a cause of stress. In fact, 67% of women report burnout, 59% of men report burnout, and overall, 63% of employees experience burnout, while 40% of workers believe burnout is an inevitable part of success. 

Asana

The mental health issues associated with burnout are certainly influencing workforces to consider what they truly value; 56% of workers aged 18 to 24 say theyʼd quit a job that prevented them from enjoying their lives. 

Pew Research

But back in 2019, cultural critics like Tiana Clark, pointedly noted that for many communities, 

 isn’t new, saying its increasing omnipresence is the result of “White, upper-middle-class Gen Yers who aren’t accustomed to being tired all the time”. However, the global pandemic intensified the discussion as the stresses of holding down a job, caring for children, mass lay-offs, coping with illness, the loss of intimacy and routines during lockdowns, alongside the ensuing mandatory vaccine controversies, ushered in a different, deeper, and more widely experienced kind of burnout.

In an attempt to curb the trend, employers are implementing solutions to inject their employees with what some term an ‘ambition reset’ – to reignite company-wide collaboration and empowerment. 

Forbes

Examples include Amazon, who has introduced the cleverly titled programme Amazen, or Tokyo-based GMO Internet Group has a napping room with 27 chair-beds and aromatherapy oils to aid sleep. But all this is unlikely to be sufficiently alluring enough to halt those now keen to shift their accelerated ambitions into a slower gear, embracing a vibe known as side character energy. Tracing back to @lolaokola on TikTok, it’s an antidote to ‘main character energy’, which gave permission to boldly step back out into the world after many months of lockdown. Side character energy is more about showing and looking good, and being satisfied with just that. It means no hero chasing, no aggrandising those multi-step wellness routines, no striving to be our personal best, “low-key and attainable aesthetic for everyone!” as one writer put it. 

The Cut

US-based writer, researcher, and trend forecaster Camay Abrahams says: “The rise of the side character is everyone’s pushback from the idea of working on themselves again. During the pandemic we had a lot of time to self-reflect, look into ‘shadow’ selves and work on personal development. It’s not so much escaping and wanting to be a one-dimensional person, but a focus on having fun, particularly amid all the current world chaos politically and environmentally.” 

Interview with Camay Abrahams conducted by author

 As a retaliation to burnout and in step with side character energy, people are looking for low-stress and high-reward activities; this is where slower, easier, and more restful forms of living are making an impact in the mainstream.

People are looking for alternative forms of indulgence that are less stressful 

The burnout and stress of the past few years has seen people pin their hopes on the travel industry as a means of major escapism and relief. Unfortunately, the industry didn’t get the memo on revenge travel, which has led to chaos in airports worldwide, such as flight cancellations, delays and long security lines. 

The rise of RV ownership certainly reflects this. People are opting for holidays on the road which give greater eco kudos and provide easier forms of escapism. “Slow travel involves longer stays at a single location to gain a deeper, more meaningful experience of the destination, or choosing a leisure travel experience that explores a new location nearby your home to avoid the cost and carbon emissions of air travel,“ says Chris Kam, president and COO of Omnitrak Group Inc. 

This is echoed by the fact that 87% of people would rather travel domestically in 2022 – with 44% of travelers under 30 saying they want to travel out of their state. 

Pacaso

And slower travel could certainly provide a soothing antidote for the hectic experience of international getaways. Abrahams says that local travel is, “a top priority for everyone, especially after the pandemic and the job instability for the past two years is seeking travel options that are better for the wallet first, good for personal fulfilment second, and lastly good for the planet. Ever since the pandemic, many people have looked into doing staycations or weekend getaways in their town next silver or even in their own hometown.” 

Indeed, by 2022, the wellness travel market will reach $919 billion – representing 18% of all global tourism. This equates to over a billion individual wellness trips to take place around the world. 

 But the slow travel movement has taken on new momentum in a post-pandemic world, and slowing down is a chance to bond with family and friends, take in the scenery, learn a new language, and so forth. Abrahams says: “More and more people are looking into activities that aren’t related to capitalistic rewards. Not making their hobbies into hustles and just enjoying them for what they are.” 

 Spas such as the Ojai Valley Inn in California offer their guests the opportunity to take as many fitness classes as possible. But the resort has 22 acres of land filled with oak and olive tree-studded pathways, sprawling wild sage and lavender, fresh citrus groves, and an expansive garden so guests can relax, recharge, and connect with the landscape. 

Diptyque’s cleaning products contain scents meant to bring joy to cleaning

The majority (82%) of Americans are concerned that inflation will have a negative impact on their purchasing power within the next six months. 

CNBC

 With the cost of living coming under pressure from rising inflation costs, people are looking for new rituals and alternative forms of indulgence that are less stressful and aimed at generating more joy. Many of the new experience-led products signal opportunities around smaller, easy-to-access experiences that combat stress day-to-day – rather than having to spend big on the trip of a lifetime and have expectations fall flat. Abrahams says: “When I think of activities with lower stress and high rewards I think of hiking and recreational activities and nature. Also, more and more people are looking into activities that aren’t related to capitalistic rewards. Not making their hobbies into hustles and just enjoying them for what they are.” 

Joyspotters Society is a free online community founded in 2021 devoted to finding and creating more joy in daily life. They cite integrating small changes into everyday tasks to make them more compelling and enjoyable. For instance, timing yourself when emptying the dishwasher can add an element of challenge to the task, or preparing a playlist of podcasts for cleaning can actually bring a sense of anticipation. 

 Scent is also noted as being an integral way to boost pleasure, and as the home continues to be of increased importance post-pandemic, brands like luxury fragrance manufacturer 

 has released a new collection of household cleaning products, La Droguerie, imbued with signature scents meant to bring joy to the act of cleaning. Other brands are also catering to the trend such as Vitruvi who offer a line of luxury diffusers for the air-conscious, while the Nest x Pura line of app-controlled products lets users swap between scents.

And outside of travel, weʼre seeing make-up return as people seek out and treasure small joys. For instance, a glossy black compact embossed with Chanel’s signature interlocking Cs can feel like a little treasure – indeed the use of several make-up products is on the rise as women return to their pre-pandemic social lives, with 70% of make-up wearers back to former routines. Food brands are also leaning into experimental messaging, bringing armchair travel to people who want to enjoy global flavors without leaving their homes. With 30% of people saying they’ve gotten more creative in the kitchen since the start of the pandemic, there’s ample incentive to circulate international foods in the US mainstream. Coffee subscription services are still growing in popularity, showing a 105% increase in year-on-year sales, despite coffee shops opening following the end of pandemic restrictions, signaling that consumers are primed for subscription-based food boxes. 

Retail Times

 Brands such as Bokksu sell subscription boxes filled with iconic Japanese snacks like Pocky, anpan, and premium KitKats, as well as tea and a magazine that contains information on each product.

Bokksu sells subscription boxes filled with iconic Japanese snacks

Brands can help make the day to day more extraordinary by offering seamless, engaging retail moments in local areas to meet customers’ demands. As digital adoption has grown exponentially, none more under COVID-19 restrictions, payments, customer service, and communications are all deeply enmeshed in people’s lives. And as such, brands will need to adopt connected commerce solutions to be more personable, more memorable, and bolder with their customer experience. 

Hashtag Paid

These solutions should also be fully integrated across the customer’s life, from the phygital – which describes the connected physical and digital world – to the social. 

Business Insider

 By combining live, human interaction with the convenience of e-commerce, and harnessing the power of storytelling and multi-sensory stimulations, new customer experiences are being created. Digital sales increased 10 times since KFC launched a new e-commerce site, mobile app, and in-store digital experience designed to streamline the ordering process.

For global brands, the challenge lies in appealing to those who are becoming increasingly invested in their local communities. As businesses closed during lockdowns, people were well aware of the struggles that local firms faced. While people may identify as

, flitting between home-grown and international brands is not viewed as a violation of one’s sense of self. In 2020, 56% of consumers were buying more locally-sourced products, with 84% of these individuals saying they planned to continue doing so in the long term. 

 Furthermore, the draw of social commerce is also not slowing down as it’s expected to reach $79.64 billion by 2025. Gucci and Nike have successfully demonstrated the power of global brands to offer

, fostering belonging and community spirit. Nike’s LA Watts neighborhood store now plays a role in supporting a predominantly working-class, Latinx, and Black community, providing employment opportunities, financing local charities, and promoting local sports.

Travel brands can support people in times of stress by leaning into technologies such as hyper-personalization, using advanced tech to consider the breadth of customers’ past purchases and interactions. This enables companies to hone in on what their customer might need at the moment of interaction; that could be a seat with more legroom on a flight or a hotel room for the night. For instance, Dutch airline KLM offers a 24-hour customer service platform via various social media sites, in 10 different languages, and the app Landline functions as an application and bus service start-up that lets passengers check themselves and their luggage before they reach the airport – reimagining the travel experience to take the stress out of the journey.

 of people would rather travel domestically in 2022 – with 

of those under 30 saying they want to travel out of their state

 say they are aware of current issues with the US air travel system, with 

deciding not to travel by air this summer

 of consumers are buying more locally sourced products, with

 of these individuals planning to continue doing so in the long term

Uncertainty around flights and holidays are leading people to seek an easier life, which includes easier travel and vacation experiences

The slow travel movement has taken on new momentum in a post-pandemic world, and slowing down is a chance to bond with loved ones, take in the scenery, or learn a new language

Travel brands can support people in times of stress by leaning into technologies such as hyper-personalization, using advanced tech to consider the breadth of customers’ past purchases

Camay Abrahams is a US-based writer, researcher, and trend forecaster specializing in tech, fashion, and culture with an MA in applied fashion psychology from London College of Fashion, UAL.

Rebecca Fisher is a writer and copy editor based in Sarasota, Florida in the United States. Her blog, 

United States

Money

Ideas.Ted.com

Travellers are being encouraged to ‘pack patience’ and be flexible when flying, but thousands of delays and cancellations in 2022 are testing their mettle and quashing their desire to fly. Will a craving for stress-free, cost-effective, and slow breaks shake up holiday behaviors in the future?

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