Sprinter Amy Hunt has admitted she lives life at "2x speed" after a poll of 2,000 adults exposed Gen Z as the most impatient generation yet. The research found 50% of those aged 18 to 29 speed up voice note playback all or most of the time, and 33% do so with TikTok and Instagram videos.
The habit appears to be growing, with half of Gen Z (50%) having increased playback speeds more often than they did two years ago. While 30% of those surveyed admitted some videos now feel too slow to watch at their normal speed.
Gen Z's impatience habits
The research, commissioned by Sky Broadband, found 33% skimmed long articles for key information, 26% checked restaurant menus before dinner to decide what they want, and 19% power walked around the supermarket.
More than three quarters (76%) of Gen Z admitted to skipping through content, compared with 53% of Millennials. This fell to just 23% of Gen X and 12% of Boomers, with 60% of those aged 18 to 29 happily owning the title of the most impatient generation when consuming content.
Amy Hunt's partnership with Sky Broadband
Tapping into the nation's need for speed, Sky Broadband, which provides the fastest broadband speeds of 5Gbps, has teamed up with Britain's fastest woman, Amy Hunt, for a short mockumentary-style skit that sees her impatiently wait for everyday things.
Amy Hunt said: "When you train for a living, every second counts, so patience has never really been my strong suit. I like to think I live life at 2x speed."
"Whether that's on the track or watching something on my phone, I'm always looking for the fast-forward button."
"This film has fun with that, because when you're used to moving quickly, waiting for everything else to catch up can feel like a lifetime."
Frustration with delays
This frustration is particularly apparent online, with 23% annoyed by waiting for apps to update, 17% by video game refreshing and 16% by slow-loading social media content.
For many, attention is lost in a matter of seconds, with more than a fifth (22%) abandoning content if it fails to grab them within five seconds or less. Nearly one in five Millennials (19%) find waiting for their broadband more frustrating than queuing at the shops, while 18% of Brits say getting used to instant access has made waiting more frustrating than it used to be.
But it's not all down to impatience, as 21% used faster playback to get through educational material more quickly. A further 16% sped up or skipped videos to fit more useful material into their day, while 20% of Gen Z said it helps them feel more in control of their time.
Yet some moments are still worth savouring, with 56% preferring to watch a favourite TV drama or eagerly anticipated film at its original pace, where pauses and tension are part of the appeal.
However, some would rather avoid things altogether, including long stories where they wish someone would get to the point (26%) and videos shared with instructions that they must watch (18%). Almost half would also happily skip sitting in traffic (48%) or being put on hold (48%).
As waiting for delayed flights or trains (43%) and supermarket queues (40%) came out among the other everyday frustrations Brits would happily fast-forward through.
Ben Case, Managing Director of Connectivity at the internet provider, said: "Life moves fast, and your broadband should keep up."
