Most People Only Get 20 Minutes a Day to Themselves

Remember “me time”? It’s that magical stretch of peace where no one’s asking you to find a missing sock, answer an email, or attend a Zoom meeting. For most Americans, that concept now lives in the same fantasy realm as flying cars and affordable rent.

A new report from Talker Research finds that the average American gets just 9.5 hours of alone time per month.

That’s about 20 minutes per day, or roughly enough time to scroll through your phone, realize you’re out of snacks, and question all your life choices.

What’s eating up all our time? The usual suspects: family obligations, work demands, financial stress, social responsibilities, and the ever-persistent feeling of guilt. Apparently, setting boundaries is hard when your to-do list includes making dinner, paying bills, and pretending you didn’t see that group text.

But here’s how badly people want a break. On average, Americans say they’d pay $2,521 for one completely uninterrupted day to themselves. Parents say they’d pay even more, $3,668. And let’s be honest, if you’ve ever hidden in the bathroom just to breathe, this sounds like a bargain.

Sleep is also a hot commodity. The average person would pay $340 for just one extra hour of shut-eye.

In total, 53% of people say they aren’t getting enough time to themselves. And nearly 38% admit they’ve lied to their partners, friends, or family just to get some space.

Classic excuses include “I’m not feeling well,” “I’ve got a lot of work,” “I have an appointment,” and the old reliable: “My phone’s about to die.”

So if someone tells you they’re taking a personal day, don’t judge… they’re probably just trying to reclaim their precious 20 minutes of peace.