Belfast most deprived of me-time, new research reveals

With everyday lives seemingly getting busier and busier, research shows we’re craving some much-needed me-time – even prioritising it over catching up on sleep.

However, new research has revealed that Belfast has ranked as the UK city which receives the least me-time.

Almost two fifths of Belfast residents (38%) say they never get any me-time, and a further 40% admit they rely on their commute for some me-time.

According to those surveyed, residents of Belfast get an average of 32 minutes a day of me-time, compared to the UK average of 51 minutes. This means Belfast residents miss out on 2 hours and 13 minutes of me-time every week!

The research has been conducted by mallow confectioner, Mallow & Marsh, as part of its Pauseworthy Pleasure campaign, which celebrates those little moments of joyful indulgence that we rarely make time for.

The research found that over half (53%) of Belfast residents wish they had the ability to pause time. However interestingly, rather than using this extra time for out-of-the-ordinary experiences, 23% said they’d rather spend it indulging in some well needed me-time, or catching up on sleep (20%).

Perhaps unsurprisingly, enjoying a cup of tea or coffee ranked as the ultimate favourite type of me-time (35%), followed by:

· Reading a book (25%)

· Doing exercise (23%)

· Cooking or baking (23%)

Nearly one in six (15%) said their favourite me-time was enjoying a chocolatey treat. In fact, one in five (20%) even said that a chocolatey treat counts as one of life’s small pleasures – alongside sunsets, rainbows, beautiful views, and the sound of birds singing.

Hannah Clough, Senior Brand Manager at Mallow & Marsh, commented: “As life seems to feel ever busier, it’s not surprising that so many of us are increasingly seeking that moment of peace and quiet, to indulge in our favourite pastimes. This is why we’ve launched our Pauseworthy Pleasure campaign, to encourage people to make time for themselves.

“With the majority of us feeling that me-time is important for our wellbeing, it’s clear that we should all be making this time for ourselves to savour the things that bring us joy – our pauseworthy pleasures.

“Whether it’s treating ourselves to our favourite chocolatey delight, taking time to read a book, or listening to our favourite music, we all have different small pleasures in life that we deserve to pause over.”

For further information, please visit www.mallowandmarsh.com