Britons are burning themselves out by not getting enough 'me time', suggests a new study.
Researchers found nearly two-thirds of adults (61 per cent) aren't getting enough 'down-time' a week - leading to stress, tiredness and even depression.
For the study involving 2,000 adults, 'me time' was defined as taking time-out for yourself.
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Psychologist Linda Papadopoulos, pictured, said it was important to remember we are 'human beings not human doings' and it is nceessary to take time out to watch a movie or read a book to re energise
The findings from the study, commissioned by relationship website eHarmony, show that despite needing around 20 hours of mental down-time a week to feel relaxed and refreshed, less than two in five Britons (39 per cent) are meeting the requirement.
Among those who said they don't have enough me time, more than a third (36 per cent) felt more tired, while others felt more stressed (33 per cent), burnt out (22 per cent), and even depressed (14 per cent). One in 25 (four per cent) even said they feel less attractive.
More than one in seven people (15 per cent) say they have no me time at all, while one in nine (11 per cent) have less than five hours a week.
Longer working hours is one of the biggest drains on taking time out, with 42 per cent saying their job gets in the way of their relaxation, rising to 57 per cent among those aged 45 to 54.
For younger adults, browsing social media sites has a big impact, with 10 per cent citing 'FOMO' - fear of missing out - as a real issue.
Other time drains include household chores (41 per cent), personal admin (21 per cent) and thinking about work (18 per cent), while even optional activities, such as group hobbies (14 per cent), can have a negative impact.
Psychologist Doctor Linda Papadopoulos, who assisted with the study, said 'It's important to remember that we're human-beings, not human-doings, and finding the time to simply indulge yourself, whether that be watching a movie, reading a book or even taking a nap, is really important to distress and energise.
'Everyone is different, but typically around 20 hours of me time each week is a good amount to help feel in control of life and evaluate your goals.
'Some people may spread this out over the week, while others in highly-pressured jobs may 'binge' on down time at the weekend to catch up after a busy week.'
People living in the North East get the most Me Time a week (28 hours) - 10 hours more than the Welsh who have the least (18 hours), according to the research.
Those aged 25 to 34 have the least amount of time to themselves (13 hours per week), eight hours less than the national average of 21 hours.
Given more me time a week, people would indulge in their favorite hobbies and interests including reading (44 per cent), listen to more music (31 per cent), watch quality TV (30 per cent), go for more walks or simply just catch up on sleep (both 29 per cent).
Researchers found that workers are becoming increasingly stressed due to time shortages, file photo
Jemima Wade, of eHarmony, said: 'The findings show that taking some time out for yourself is a necessity these days, not a luxury.
'Busy lives can mean we forget to step back and give ourselves space to relax or take a minute to do the little things that make us happy.
'With that in mind, eHarmony is launching 'Love Sundays' - a project encouraging singles to do something that makes them feel good every Sunday - be it trying out a new recipe at home, curling up on the couch with a good book or just taking 10 minutes out to sit and relax, or maybe even chat to a new match.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2832331/Lack-time-burning-Two-thirds-Britons-not-getting-time-leading-stress-tiredness-depression.html#ixzz3IzWBk15O
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