Half the population reckon they are time poor, with eating dinner late at night and buying ready-peeled vegetables among the signs you are too busy, a study has found. A poll of 2,000 adults found ordering takeaways because you don't have time to cook the biggest indicator you need more hours in the day. Eating breakfast on the commute, multitasking while watching TV by sending emails or shopping online and still doing laundry late into the night are also among the top five signs you are short of time. Other 'time poor' indicators to feature in the top 30 include checking emails as you walk, using dry shampoo instead of washing your hair and buying ready-grated cheese.
The stats emerged in in a study 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. It also found time poverty is a real problem in the UK, with three quarters of Brits saying they are too stressed to have fun and 40 per cent stating they spend most of their time working and juggling household chores.
Putting your make-up on during the commute is a key sign of being time-poor
Psychologist and life coach Honey Langcaster-James (corr) 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."
STORY: British parents only spend 44 minutes a day talking to their children
The poll, of 2,000 adults found almost three quarters of Brits wish they had more time to relax. And 54 per cent wish there was 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. But almost one in ten admit they can’t remember the last time they had an evening night to spare, while 16 per cent can’t remember 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. And three quarters wish they had more time to relax and be more laid-back.
The study was carried out by Kelly's of Cornwall
Charlotte Hambling, of Kelly's of Cornwall Ice Cream, said: "It's often expressed that the pace of life in Cornwall is slower and more laid-back than elsewhere, and we have a word here – Attes. We are launching our Art of Attes lifestyle campaign to encourage Brits to adopt this easygoing and lighter approach to life, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing. Sometimes it's OK to not take life quite so seriously. We say, grab an ice cream, kick back and geddon!"
Honey Langcaster-James added: "We could all do well to take a leaf out of Cornwall’s book by adopting an Attes approach to life. Learning the Art of Attes should be high on everyone's priority list – whether that's saying hello to a stranger or eating ice cream for breakfast - your wellbeing may depend on it!"
The Kelly's School of Cornish will be educating the masses on all things Cornwall, from Cornish language translations to showcasing the Cornish lifestyle. To achieve an Attes state of mind for yourself, download The Art of Attes guide at https://bit.ly/TheArtofAttesGuide
TOP 30 SIGNS YOU ARE TIME POOR
- Ordering a takeaway as you don't have time to cook
- Eating dinner at 10pm
- Eating breakfast on commute into work
- Multi-tasking while 'watching' TV – i.e. emails/messaging/working late
- Washing and drying clothes at 11pm
- Only wearing clothes that don't need ironing
- Falling asleep after reading one page of your book/watching 2 mins of a film
- Multitasking while cleaning your teeth in the morning
- Checking emails while walking
- Having to plan months ahead to meet a group of friends because everyone is busy
- Putting on your make up on public transport
- Buying ready peeled or sliced vegetables
- Using dry shampoo instead of washing your hair
- Re-wearing something from the laundry basket
- Doing all your shopping online
- Having a cleaner
- Buying ready grated cheese
- Recording everything/watching it on catch-up because you haven't got time for adverts
- Being late for school/late-play pick-up
- Hardly ever wearing handwash only garments, as you never have time to wash them
- Growing a beard to save time shaving
- Doing last-minute times tables/ revision/ spellings in the car on the way to school
- Having a dog walker
- Growing your hair long as you don't have time to go to the hairdresser
- Using hands-free in the car to catch up with distant relatives
- Watching catch-up TV on your commute
- Never making packed lunches for kids, always school dinners
- Buying frozen ready chopped fruit for your smoothies
- Buying audio books for the car because you don't have time to read
- Running with the dog because there's no time to walk him/her and go out for a run
Ten top tips from Honey Langcaster-James on how you can inject some Attes in your life:
1. Use your animal instinct. Animals are far less complicated than humans so spend time around them, stroke a cat, play with a dog, or just ‘monkey’ around.
2. Attes is all about being friendly. Say ‘Hello’ or as the Cornish say “Alright? Yeah you?” and strike up conversation with strangers when you’re catching a bus, standing in a queue, or in a lift. Any place where they can’t just walk away from you is ideal.
3. Make a splash! The Cornish have long had an affinity with water. Introduce water therapy into your daily routine by taking a brisk cold shower in a morning. It’s a bit brrrr…but it is brrrrrrilliant for your mood.
4. Make art, make music, heck…make love! Just be creative and let yourself go.
5. "Ground control to Major Tom!" Imagine you're a spaceman looking down on yourself from above. It helps to put things into perspective.
6. Live a little. It's important to be healthy but don’t put yourself under too much pressure. Every so often treat yourself to something delicious, maybe even a little naughty. You deserve it!
7. Be a Peter Pan (or a Wendy). Release your inner child by running around, playing silly games or even dressing up occasionally. Go on, you know you want to!
8. Have a good clear out. The Art of Attes is about letting go, both figuratively and literally, so reduce the junk in your life and say goodbye to clutter.
9. Adopt an easy-going attitude towards others. If other people are irritating you, try to remember that most people are doing the best they can, with the resources they have available to them at the time. "Hakuna Matata" and all that!
10. Let go of perfection. The Cornish art of Attes is all about having a rugged, natural, easy going nature. So, feel free to mess up your hair, go out 'au naturel' without makeup, you don't even have to shave your legs if you don’t want to. It's liberating!
11. Squeezing in an extra one for good measure… ultimately all you need to do is kick-back, grab an ice cream and geddon!