Many Canadian parents turning to life hacks, admit they’re exhausted
Posted November 24, 2016 6:40 am.
Last Updated November 24, 2016 9:23 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO, ON. (NEWS 1130) – Canadian parents are exhausted and many are looking for any available shortcuts in an effort to get some personal time. A new MasterCard survey finds 90 per cent of parents say they are constantly tired and they now consider that the new normal.
Meal preparation (21 per cent), finding a parking spot (19 per cent), doing the laundry (12 per cent) and gift buying (11 per cent) top the list of time-consuming chores for most moms and dads.
Just over 90 per cent of parents say they are actively looking at ways to cut down on the time spent taking care of those activities. “Anything that gives us time back is a lifesaver — those few minutes are the difference between making pick-up on time or not,” says parental blogger Laura Keogh.
Just over half of parents surveyed say they don’t get enough alone time, while 49 per cent say they want more time with their partner and 21 per cent say the same thing about their kids. “We do a lot of running around and are constantly juggling it all, it’s often a struggle to keep all the balls in the air,” says parental blogger Ceri Marsh.
Nearly 40 per cent say they hardly have any time for their friends, while 42 per cent complain about not having enough time to get to the gym and just under one-third say their personal grooming is suffering because of a lack of time.
In the end, finding adequate time for yourself is important says West Vancouver-based Clinical Councillor Alyson Jones with Alyson Jones & Associates. “As much as we need to develop life hacks, and there are some great things we can do, we also need some down time, some alone time where we can go for a walk and collect ourselves,” says Jones. “And when we do that, the research also shows us that, people are more efficient and effective and more present in relationships.”
When it comes to life hacks, a lot of those parents are turning online for help. Many are ordering online to save time and that includes everything from buying gifts to finding quick solutions at dinner time.
