A NEW study finds that Americans need a shocking amount of lazy days per year to feel rested and relaxed.
A survey of 2,000 Americans revealed that the average number of days people need to do nothing is about 60 days, or almost two full months.
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As National Lazy Day approaches on August 10, the research investigated how the average person spends their days doing nothing to take care of themselves and what constitutes a perfect day for doing nothing.
“In honor of National Lazy Day, we wanted to see how Americans rest and rejuvenate during a much-needed lazy day,” said Mei Higgins, vice president of merchandising at Berkshire Blanket & Home Co.
“Everyone deserves a rest day here and there, maybe even more often, and days like these are so important when it comes to well-being.
“The study further found that nearly three in four people (74%) said lazy days are crucial when it comes to self-care.”
To no one’s surprise, Americans aren’t easy about their days off.
One in five respondents said they plan their lazy days in advance and 67% chose to take those lazy days spontaneously.
However, some forward-thinking people have even put their down days on the calendar a few weeks in advance.
Research carried out by Talker Research on behalf of Berkshire Blanket & Home Co. found that nearly three-quarters of lazy days likely go unnoticed, and respondents don’t tell others they’re taking a day to relax at home.
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When it comes to lazy daytime activities, or lack thereof, respondents shared how much time they spend connected to their phones, relaxing and taking care of themselves.
On a typical lazy day, the average person spends two hours lying in bed, one hour eating, three hours watching movies and TV, one hour reading, and two hours browsing.
Several hours are spent doing nothing, with a few hours napping and a full hour usually devoted to dreading the next day.
Sounds like a typical Sunday horror case.
Low energy, exhaustion and an overwhelming feeling of responsibility are the main reasons for lazy days, the study concluded.
A third of those surveyed admitted they will take a lazy day if they want to avoid people, and one in ten said an existential crisis is enough to justify a lazy day.
Ideal lazy day for Americans
An ideal lazy day includes:
3 hours watching movies and TV
3 hours doing absolutely nothing
3 hours simply sitting and enjoying the living space
2 hours in bed
2 hours browsing on the phone
2 hours napping
1 hour eating
1 hour of reading
1 hour listening to an audiobook or podcast
1 hour dreading the next day
Around 75% of respondents are more likely to spend their lazy day relaxing if the weather is cold and gloomy.
The main essential items for days doing nothing, according to those interviewed, are comfortable clothes and a cozy blanket or blanket, as well as a clean house, a shower and plenty of junk food.
For those wondering, the ideal lazy day outfit combo is breathable and lightweight. And the perfect cozy blanket is fluffy and big enough for two.
“If you weren’t already planning, we encourage everyone to spend some time simply resting and relaxing on August 10th,” Higgins said.
“Taking time to do nothing will greatly contribute to your health and happiness.
“And cultivating the perfect cozy space to relax is key. Gathering cozy essentials and designing a relaxing space is part of self-care.”
Research Methodology
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans from the general population; the survey was commissioned by Berkshire Blanket & Home Co. and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between July 15-19.
They originated from a non-probabilistic framework and the two main sources we use are:
- Traditional online access panels – where respondents choose to participate in online market research as an incentive
- Programmatic – where respondents are online and have the option to participate in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are involved in
Those who did not fit into the specified sample were excluded from the research. As the survey is administered, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to meet quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.
Regardless of the sources the respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents received points for completing the survey. These points have a small monetary value equivalent to cash.
Cells are only reported for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. The data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are established to achieve the desired sample.
Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they fail quality check measures. That includes:
- Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in less than a third of the average interview length are disqualified as speeders
- Open Ends: All verbatim answers (complete open-ended questions as well as other options, please specify) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
- Bots: Captcha is enabled in surveys, which allows the survey team to identify and disqualify bots
- Duplicates: Survey software has fingerprint-based “deduplication,” which ensures no one can take the survey more than once
It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
