With half the population complaining about how it is becoming increasingly difficult to juggle work and family responsibilities, ordering takeaway food, buying ready-prepped vegetables and grated cheese and eating late are some of the most corner-cutting ways people keep the balls in the air.
Eating breakfast while commuting to work, sending emails while watching TV, shopping online and doing the laundry late into the night are also evidence of a lack of time, found the poll of 2,000 adults.
Other ‘time poor’ indicators to feature in the list of the tell-tale signs include checking emails as you walk, using dry shampoo instead of washing your hair and wearing unironed clothes.
The research also found time poverty is a real problem in the UK, with three quarters of Britons feeling too stressed to have fun and 40 per cent spending most of their time working or doing the household chores.
Psychologist and life coach Honey Langcaster-James said, “This study shows that feeling stressed out all the time, as a result of a growing sense of ‘time poverty’, is becoming a real problem for people.
“It can be really beneficial for you to adopt a slower, less-hurried approach to the tasks you face, both at work and in your leisure time. Taking a little time out to relax, enjoy yourself and have some easy-going fun is more important than ever in our fast-paced society.
“A little playtime is essential for us all, whatever our age.”
The poll found almost three quarters of people wishing they had more time to relax while 54 per cent want more time in the day, with the average adult saying they need an extra three hours a day to get everything done.
After work, four in ten say their spare time is mostly taken up with the household chores, while 16 per cent reckon running around after the family accounts for most of their time.
And almost one in ten admit they can not remember the last time they had a spare evening and 16 per cent can not think when was the last time they had a lie-in.
This is having a real impact on the nation’s well-being though, with 89 per cent admitting they feel that life is too serious for them.
The survey was commissioned by Kelly’s of Cornwall Ice Cream to launch its Art of ‘Attes’ campaign – ‘Attes’ is a Cornish language word meaning a medley of relaxed, unhurried and easy going.
TOP 30 SIGNS OF A TIME-POOR LIFESTYLE
- Ordering takeaways
- Eating dinner at 10pm
- Eating breakfast on commute
- Emailing while watching TV
- Washing clothes at 11pm
- Wearing non-iron clothes
- Falling asleep as film starts
- Multi-tasking while cleaning teeth
- Checking emails while walking
- Having to plan months ahead to meet friends
- Applying make up on public transport
- Buying ready-sliced veg
- Using dry shampoo instead of washing hair
- Rewearing item from laundry basket
- Doing all shopping online
- Having a cleaner
- Buying ready-grated cheese
- Watching TV on ‘catch-up’
- Being late for school pick-up
- Avoiding handwash clothes
- Growing a beard
- Helping last minute revision on way to school
- Having a dog walker
- Growing your hair long
- Using hands-free in the car to catch up with relatives
- Watching catch-up TV on commute
- Never making packed lunches
- Buying frozen ready-chopped fruit for smoothies
- Buying audio books for car
- Running the dog as there’s no time to walk it and go for a run
Daily Express :: Life and Style Feed
