Climbing into a bed with fresh sheets tops a list of “little luxuries” for women feeling the pressures of modern life, a survey has found. Hard on its heels is ditching the cooking for a takeaway and indulging in some delicious perfume.
The study of 2,000 women aged 35 and over found nearly half are so busy juggling life they rarely find the time to treat themselves.
A quarter of those polled felt stressed multiple times a day, and more than a third felt the pressures of modern life resulted in anxiety more than once a week.
Sometimes something as simple as a good cup of tea (25 per cent) or lighting a scented candle can do the job of puncturing stress.
Taking a bra off at the end of the day, the smell of freshly washed laundry and a back rub also featured on the top 20 list of simple but effective rewards women are enjoying.
One third agreed they are most deserving of a little treat at the end of a hard day at work, with one in 10 feeling the need to spoil themselves after a tiff with their partner.
A fifth admitted to indulging themselves with “little luxuries” less than once a month and, on average, those polled reckoned they got just over 10 hours a week to themselves.
Nearly half said they feel relaxed after treating themselves, with a fifth feeling de-stressed or a sense of calm.
And six in 10 are more likely to indulge in little luxuries than extravagant purchases to reward their efforts.
With a fifth simply too tired after the hustle and bustle of a busy day to reward themselves, it’s no wonder two thirds wished they had more “luxury” in their demanding life.
An equal number said they would rather spoil their loved ones.
More than one in 10 enjoy clothes with a fragrant smell and in further attempts to alleviate the weight of worry, 43 per cent simply took a walk outside. Others hit the gym or read a book.