It is official: Brits are a nation wracked with guilt. New research by Marella Cruises, TUI's UK cruise line, reveals that eight in ten (80%) people admit to feeling bad for everyday things they should not, experiencing guilt an average of eight times a month.
Everyday Guilt Triggers
The study found that 39% of Brits feel guilty for simply having some 'me' time, while 31% feel a pang of guilt when cancelling on friends or taking too long to text them back (30%). A further 31% admit to feeling awkward when crossing the road to avoid chit-chat with a neighbour.
Calling in sick to work, even when genuinely ill (29%), leaving the bed unmade (28%), eating chips (27%), and throwing away a small amount of food (27%) are also common guilt triggers. Staying in pyjamas past 10am (25%) and not calling parents often enough (25%) add to the list.
Food and Guilt
Food is a constant source of guilt: 23% feel guilty after saying yes to a slice of cake, 22% after eating two biscuits instead of one, and 20% after ordering a Friday night takeaway when they could have cooked. Even in improving weather, 14% feel guilty about sneaking the heating on, and 11% feel bad watching TV in summer.
Struggling to Switch Off
With all this guilt, 69% admit they struggle to properly switch off, spending just 67 minutes a week relaxing. A striking 86% regularly feel guilty about sitting down to relax when there are other things they could be doing. Consequently, 40% feel they are always on the go, and 22% worry they are close to burning out.
Social media amplifies the pressure: 41% think it pushes people to stay constantly active, and 40% confess to hiding their lazy downtime online to appear more productive. Moreover, 42% have felt pressured to do things they do not want to—such as going to a party (38%), the park (34%), the gym (30%), tourist hotspots on holiday (28%), or cooking healthy food (27%)—simply to share on social media.
Holiday Guilt
The guilt extends to holidays: 61% struggle to relax even when sunbathing on a lounger. Anxiety over getting to the airport on time (51%), fear of getting lost (34%), packing the right clothes (33%), organising transfers (29%), and finding nice places to eat (27%) all contribute. On average, it takes Brits three days of a week-long break to fully unwind.
Marella Cruises' Solution
To encourage guilt-free relaxation, Marella Cruises has designed the world's first PJkini—a one-stop-shop outfit that removes decision fatigue. Styled by Denise van Outen, returning as Chief Chill-Out Officer, this lazy hack promotes a relaxed holiday approach. Marella Cruises offers all-inclusive cruise holidays with full end-to-end service, including flights, cabins, entertainment, food, drinks, trips, and transfers, with regional flying from over 20 UK airports.
Denise van Outen said: “I'm absolutely thrilled to be back as Marella Cruises' Chief Chill-Out Officer. I know how hard it can be for Brits to relax without feeling guilty. The PJkini is the ultimate lazy hack for anyone who wants to maximise relaxation from the moment their holiday begins. It's fun, practical, and basically says: stop faffing and enjoy yourself.”
Very British Guilt Trips
The study also found that 35% think Brits need to “chill out”, and 80% believe feeling guilty is a uniquely British trait, dubbed “Very British Guilt”. The top guilt trips include: enjoying me time (39%), cancelling on friends (31%), crossing the road to avoid chit-chat (31%), not texting back (30%), calling in sick (29%), leaving the bed unmade (28%), eating chips (27%), throwing away food (27%), staying in PJs past 10am (25%), being hungover (25%), not calling parents (25%), lying in past 9.30am on Saturday (25%), saying yes to cake (23%), having two biscuits (22%), ordering a takeaway (20%), not taking the bins out (19%), staying in the shower too long (19%), going out for dinner when food is at home (17%), reading instead of chores (16%), binge-watching TV (15%), putting the heating on in May (14%), skipping the gym (14%), spending Sunday in PJs (13%), taking the lift to the first floor (12%), only walking the dog briefly (12%), cancelling a date (11%), watching TV in summer (11%), taking an Uber when the bus is an option (10%), running a deep bath (9%), and arranging food delivery instead of shopping (9%).
