According to a new survey by Groupon, 1:42 in the afternoon is the most stressful minute of the day.
And it also turns out the Beatles were right: We do need eight days a week.
Sixty percent of Americans are trapped in a terrible work-life balance and don’t have enough time in the day to relax.
With the average person spending more than 8 hours dealing with work on a typical day -- tiredness, a heavy workload, looking after the family and home chores are some of the main reasons Americans have a difficult time keeping a balanced life. And we don’t start to relax until 4:53 p.m.
With all of the pressures and responsibilities of work and home life, about a third of Americans said they worked too hard, and nearly 40 percent said they worked too many hours.
Over a quarter of American workers reported enduring constant pressure from their boss and roughly 1 in 7 also suffered pressure from their co-workers.
Americans are predictably more stressed at work than at home, but not by much. When asked to rate their stress levels from 1-10, with ten being highly stressed, the average person ranked their stress levels as a 5 at home, a 6.4 at work and a 5.3 in general.
In honor of its inaugural Summer Spa Retreat event running from July 26-28, Groupon surveyed 2,000 Americans on their levels of stress and what they would do to relax if given the chance. With the regular pressures of work and responsibilities at home, the majority of those surveyed (60 percent) said that there are not enough hours in the day to complete everything they need to get done.
It turns out that roughly an additional four hours each day are reportedly needed for the average person to complete all of their tasks - making the ideal week a little longer than eight days.
“We knew that many Americans were stressed because many of them come to Groupon every day looking for ways to relax -- however, we were surprised at just how stressed they really are,” said Silvija Martincevic, vice president and general manager of health, beauty and wellness, Groupon. “Balancing the demands of a career and family can be tough, which is why it’s so important to make sure that you regularly give yourself a break.”
The results showed Americans typically take most, but not all, of their vacation days in a given year. Although the average worker takes eleven days off, the results show it’s for reasons other than rest and relaxation. Of those eleven days taken off from work, six days are spent doing things around the home, looking after sick children or pets, running errands, going to appointments or taking care of other chores.
Considering the pressure and challenges people face in their daily lives, results showed that 38 is the most stressful age - citing career changes, having kids, constant arguing with spouse/partner and being unhappy with their career choice.
Forty-one percent of the survey respondents say it’s been six months or longer since they’ve felt completely relaxed and stress-free.
“While people are stressed and overworked, the good news is that most people are at least aware of the need to maintain a healthy work-life balance and know exactly what they would do to relax if given the time,” Martincevic added. “Whether it’s a massage or another popular spa treatment, we want to help people find the time and places to relax.”
When it comes to unwinding, getting a massage, manicure or pedicure, going to the beach, hitting the gym as well as playing video games are some of the things respondents would do if they had a full day off. According to survey respondents, the ideal massage lasts about 48 minutes.
Top 3 ways women would relax if they had a full day to spend alone:
Get a spa/beauty treatment
Spend a day at the beach
Go to the gym
Top 3 ways men would relax if they had a full day to spend alone:
Spend a day at the beach
Get a spa/beauty treatment
Play video games
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