America’s Work-hard Culture Sees Rise in Stress Levels, Less Ability to Truly Let Go and Relax
More Than Half of Americans Use Vacations Days for Anything Other than Actually Vacationing
SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (August 12, 2015)
– Americans
are hard workers, but when it comes to taking a break, they may need some
advice. According to results released today from Princess
Cruises’ sixth
annual Relaxation Report, over half (54%) of Americans spend their vacation days
dealing with personal obligations such as family emergencies, doctor’s or
dentist’s appointments and sick days for their children or loved ones rather
than actually vacationing. And the mere thought of asking their boss for a few
extra days off causes more stress than asking for a pay raise for nearly a
quarter (22%) of American workers, according to the recent survey by Wakefield
Research for Princess Cruises.
On this
National Relaxation Day (Saturday, August 15,) the idea of stress and
relaxation is an important discussion to be had with our 24/7 always-on
American culture. Stress triggers are on the rise with nearly a one-third of
people who get stressed at just the thought of relaxing, up from 28-percent in
2014. And 42-percent frequently feel guilty about relaxing, also up from
38-percent last year. For more than a third of Americans (36%), it’s even more
difficult to find time to relax than to live within their budget!
"In the six years that Princess Cruises has commissioned
this survey, we’ve continued to see stress levels rise year after year …” said
Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. "We aren’t giving ourselves
permission to truly let go and relax, and whether that’s because of the demands
on our intense lives or our own guilt, this is an unsustainable trend that can
have a genuinely adverse impact on our society as a whole.”
Even
summertime brings no reprieve. Despite the sunshine, warm weather and break
from school schedules, more than three quarters (77%) of parents are busier
during the summer months compared to the rest of the year. That’s due in part
to the stress that comes with planning – and taking – an actual vacation for
half (50%) of Americans who find things like research and handling travel
logistics stressful, and over half (55%) who return feeling the need for a
vacation from their vacation.
On the
optimistic side however, Americans still believe they can achieve the dream of
finding relaxation, with two-thirds (66%) who agree that taking a cruise would
be the best way to experience life and relaxation all in one vacation. Proudly,
Princess Cruises offers an array of options for any traveler looking to “come back new” aboard its
worldwide fleet of ships in exotic destinations.
Additional
information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel
consultant, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237), or online at http://www.princess.com/.
# # #
About the 2015 Survey
The Princess Cruises
Relaxation Day 2015 Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among
1,000 nationally representative U.S. adults ages 18+, between July 23-July 29,
2015, using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas have been set to
ensure reliable and accurate representation of the U.S. adult ages 18+. Results
of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation
is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the
percentages expressing the results. For the interviews conducted in this
particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary,
plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be
obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe
represented by the sample.
About Princess
Cruises:
One of the best-known
names in cruising, Princess Cruises is a global cruise line and tour company
operating a fleet of 18 modern cruise ships renowned for their innovative
design and wide array of choices in dining, entertainment and amenities, all
provided in an environment of exceptional customer service. A recognized leader
in worldwide cruising, Princess carries 1.7 million guests each year to
destinations around the globe ranging in length from three to 111 days. The
company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:CCL; NYSE: CUK).
Newsroom:
Additional media
information is available at princess.com/news.
For further
information contact:
Jina Michaels, jina.michaels@citiznerelations.com, +1
213-996-3786
Karen Candy, kcandy@princesscruises.com, +1 661-753-1540
