Here's a nice little article by writer Brent Crane for The Atlantic, examining how travel improves neuroplasticity and creativity.

“Foreign experiences increase both cognitive flexibility and depth and integrativeness of thought, the ability to make deep connections between disparate forms,” says Adam Galinsky, a professor at Columbia Business School and the author of numerous studies on the connection between creativity and international travel."

So if your boss balks at your next vacation request, tell her/him you'll be improving your brain.

Note that the key is immersive travel experiences, not hermetically-sealed packages.

Read the full article. And then book something!