Do you want time to do more reading?
Brits are working themselves to the bone by denying themselves of ‘me time’ according to eHarmony.
The average person needs around 20 hours a week of downtime to relax and recoup their energy levels but only two fifths of Brits are actually allowing themselves this arguable necessity.
Those who are missing out on this requirement are facing many health risks such as stress, fatigue, depression and self-esteem issues.
One in six people admit to having no me time at all and one in ten have a meager five hours per week.
Longer working hours is one of the main factors that causes a depletion of me time. 42% of Brits think that their jobs are an obstacle to their personal time. Facebook and Twitter have a big part to play in the lack of alone time too- with the fear of missing out encouraging younger adults to try and cram as much into their daily lives as possible to prevent the feeling of being late to the party.
Other daily tasks such as household chores, personal admin, thinking about work and even other activities such as hobbies can have a negative impact on rest time.
Psychologist Dr. Linda Papadopoulos, who assisted with the study comments: “It’s important to remember that we’re human-beings, not human-doings, and finding the time to simply indulge yourself, whether that be watching a movie, reading a book or even taking a nap, is really important to distress and energise. Everyone is different, but typically around 20 hours of Me Time each week is a good amount to help feel in control of life and evaluate your goals. Some people may spread this out over the week, while others in highly-pressured jobs may ‘binge’ on down time at the weekend to catch up after a busy week.”
Those living in the North East of England have the most time to themselves every week, compared to the Welsh who have a distinct lack of it. When it comes to age- 25-34 year olds are the ones who lack the most me time.
If people had more of this time per week – there would be more space to embrace hobbies and interests; reading, listening to music, catching up on TV and walking to name a few.
Jemima Wade, spokesperson for eHarmony, said: “The findings show that taking some time out for yourself is a necessity these days, not a luxury. Busy lives can mean we forget to step back and give ourselves space to relax or take a minute to do the little things that make us happy. With that in mind, eHarmony is launching ‘Love Sundays’, a project encouraging singles to do something that makes them feel good every Sunday – be it trying out a new recipe at home, curling up on the couch with a good book or just taking 10mins out to sit and relax, or maybe even chat to a new match.”
Tagged in eHarmony