Three in four Aussies feel guilty when they are relaxing and enjoying themselves, according to a new survey which found that Australia is not a fun country.
The poll, which was conducted by YouGov Galaxy, discovered that 1,321 Australian adults only gave the country a median score of 5.6 out of 10 in terms of how fun the people are.
Only 40 per cent of the respondents said they try to find a work-life balance, while a quarter said they do not spend enough fun, quality time with their family. 45 per cent also expressed a nostalgic yearning, saying life was simpler and more fun when they were younger.
Having fun seemed to be a privilege for many – 56 per cent of the people said they do not have enough money to have fun, while 36 per cent said they are lacking in time.
39 per cent said their everyday chores hampered their ability to have fun, while 33 per cent feel restricted by stressful workload and/or long hours. Family commitments and responsibilities also emerged as one of the leading issues, with 25 per cent putting the blame on the matter.
“Overall, this tells us that, plain and simple, Australians have forgotten how to have fun,” said psychologist Dr Tim Sharp in the inaugural Fun Report.
“It’s not that we’re not fun people, but more so that with life getting busier and busier, we’re not making time for it. However, setting time aside for fun activities or booking a holiday can have tremendous benefits and enable people of all.”
Sharp said Aussies can have fun in their everyday life by starting small. “It doesn’t have to break the bank or be extravagant,” he said.
“It can be as simple as taking the kids to the park with a football. Change your mindset to prioritising fun, and you’ll reap many of the rewards.”
The Fun Report, which was commissioned by Carnival Cruise Line in partnership with The Happiness Institute, sought “to understand if Australia really is still a laid-back, fun loving nation”.