A SHOCKINGLY low percentage of British women regularly allow themselves the time to unwind and destress each week – however the events of 2020 mean many women are finding a new appreciation for the value of self-care, a new study reveals.
A study of 1,000 British women, carried out by the UK’s largest independent online flower retailer, Serenata Flowers, has revealed that more than 1 in 3 (35%) British women allow themselves no more than 2 hours of me time per week.
According to the findings, family and work commitments can make it difficult for some women to find time for me time, with 15% saying it’s a struggle to squeeze it in around looking after a family and 13% claiming they struggle to find time for self-care around their busy work schedule.
However, almost 2 in 3 women (65%) simply do not believe that me time activities, such as shopping for clothing, getting their hair done or watching TV, is an important part of relaxing and recharging.
Attitudes toward the importance of me time may well be beginning to shift however, as nearly 1 in 3 (30%) of women say that the events of 2020 so far have made them more aware of the need to take more time for themselves.
Almost a quarter (23%) say they would like to be kinder to themselves this year, following the covid-19 crisis.
Time and finances permitting, the most popular ways that women do like to take time to themselves include shopping for new clothes and indulging in chocolate, both of which 92% of women claim they like to do to unwind.
Other popular self-care activities include buying themselves flowers each month (59%), treating themselves to an alcohol tipple such as prosecco (71%) and subscribing to a monthly beauty subscription box, which over half of British women (51%) claim they treat themselves to.
Lucia Polla, Marketing Manager at Serenata Flowers, says: “Taking time to pamper and look after ourselves is a valuable and effective aspect of self-care, which it seems many busy women are overlooking. Often when finances are tight and work commitments are high it is possible that women may feel reluctant to treat themselves – particularly when they have a family to take care of.
“We’ve found that 2020’s events have helped some women to realise that me time is an important part of wellbeing. It can take many forms – from sitting down with a good book and a glass of wine, to treating yourself to monthly subscriptions, whether that is a regular bouquet of flowers, a streaming service, or a monthly beauty box. All are valid and effective ways to recharge and ensure you have something to look forward to in your downtime.”
The top 10 ways women spend their me time:
- Buying clothes (92%)
- Buying food-based treats such as sweets and chocolates (92%)
- Buying new shoes (89%)
- Going to the hairdresser (85%)
- Buying skincare products (85%)
- Buying make-up (84%)
- Buying new books (81%)
- Buying hair products (80%)
- Buying new accessories such as handbags (81%)
- Splurging on drinks such as prosecco (77%)
Serenata Flowers is the UK’s largest independent online florist, producing quality bouquets lovingly hand-arranged by floral artists. The award-winning online florist offers free next day delivery on orders placed until 10pm, 7 days a week, so you can always make someone’s day with a gorgeous bouquet.
To find out more about Serenata Flowers, visit: www.serenataflowers.com