What's Life Really Like in London?
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A survey of 34,000 people living in London details how the capital city is feeling in 2019
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Stress levels are up and happiness levels are down compared to 2018
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If you are struggling with city life, find a therapist to support you
Long-standing free London magazine Time Out recently ran a survey of 34,000 Londoners asking what life is like in the city, and how peoples' experience compares to last year.
Some great statistics stand out, particularly around appreciating the diversity and culture that characterise London. For example, we're drinking less and visiting more exhibitions. Londoners also seem to be engaging in more mindful choices, with increasing numbers of vegetarians (11%), vegans (5%), and those reducing their meat consumption (20%), and higher numbers of people engaging in weekly mindfulness meditation and exercise. However, the Time Out Index also revealed more worrying statistics.
Some of these relate to relationships; while the majority of Londoners surveyed can't imagine going a week without engaging in their social media or emails, three in 10 reported feeling lonely in the last 24 hours.
Other statistics relate to stress and work-life balance, such as 55% of Londoners reported feeling stressed in the last 24 hours, up from 50% in 2018. On average we're working 42.3 hours a week, up from 40.4 hours in 2018; 62% of Londoners ate their lunch at their desk in the past week, up 13% from last year. And there has been a 7% decrease in those who reported feeling happy in the last 24 hours, though it's good to see that these are generally high numbers (85% in 2018 vs. 79% in 2019).
If you are feeling the strain of city life, we have qualified, verified therapists in London who are available to support you. And if you are struggling to find the time to find the right therapist for you, we also offer a Personalised Matching Service.
