Over 30, still renting and don’t own a property? Can’t get to the gym due to relentless work commitments? Wish you’d travelled more but lacking in confidence? New research from Schick reveals these are among the many lifestyle factors that are prohibiting women aged 18–39 years old from feeling free in their own skin.
As part of Schick’s ‘Freedom In Your Own Skin’ research report, Schick Women’s Systems in conjunction with Galaxy Research surveyed over 1,250 Australian women* to discover what makes modern women feel free and what erodes feelings of freedom. The results revealed that living situation, health and fitness and travel all have a significant impact.
When participants were asked about a time in their lives when they felt most free to do as they pleased, more women aged 30-39 chose living by themselves over living with a partner or family, while interestingly in the 18-29 group this trend was reversed. Today, unlike their predecessors, 47% of women under the age of 25 are happy to stay at home with their parents, indicating that amongst this age group it is no longer taboo to live at home later in life.
Schick Freedom Panelist, TV and radio personality, Bianca Dye agrees with the results of the research, adding “Younger generations are now more focused on short term lifestyle perks. Many admit that enjoying a good lifestyle, whether it is shopping, eating out or keeping up to date with the latest and greatest gadgets is far more important than owning assets.”
Bianca Dye continues, “Paying significant amounts of rent money, once coined ‘dead money’, to live in the trendiest suburbs is now increasingly important to younger women – particularly those living in capital cities. Double the amount of women aged 30-34 (41%) currently have a mortgage, in comparison with only 23% of women aged 25-29.”
It’s no secret that most women go to great lengths to feel good and look even better and it was revealed that only 7% of women are content with their health and fitness, and 93% of women worry about it, with 33% of those worrying constantly.
Most women would agree they subscribe to the philosophy of healthy mind, healthy body; however, the research suggests that work and family commitments often prevent this from translating into action.
Feeling physically fit and healthy is important to most women and can have a significant impact on feelings of freedom or constraint. Younger women aged 25-29 tend to worry the most (38%), while those aged 30-34 worry the least (26%).
Society now expects women to juggle a career, family, finance, travel, all whilst still maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Women are expected to be a modern day superwoman – something that is neither achievable nor realistic.
Women who claim to feel free are more likely to have travelled overseas several times (45%) than those who feel constrained (30%). The primary reason given by those wishing to travel more, but not yet having done so was money (75%). However, approximately half of respondents (52%) that haven’t travelled as much as they would like to, admit that confidence has held them back to some extent.