DUBLIN, Calif., January 14, 2021 — As lives become increasingly stressful, new research from Vagaro suggests more people are turning to self-care as a form of stress relief. According to the new survey, 75% of Americans believe self-care activities can help reduce stress, with at-home spa rituals (40%), getting a manicure/pedicure (30%), exercising outdoors (28%) and working out in a gym (24%) listed as top stress-relieving activities. While self-care can mean different things to different people, respondents cited at-home spa rituals (47%), visiting a spa for wellness treatments (41%), getting a manicure/pedicure (36%) and getting a haircut (34%) as the top self-care activities that come to mind.

View full survey results in the infographic below.

The research found people plan to prioritize and make more time for self-care moving forward. In 2020, the average person only had 65 minutes per week dedicated to self-care; however 45% of respondents see themselves having more time per week for self-care in 2021. In fact, people are willing to go pretty far in order to have more self-care time: one-third of Americans would be willing to move (35%), sell a personal belonging (33%) or even give up their favorite food (30%) for more self-care time.

“There’s an inevitable correlation between stress and self-care,” said Fred Helou, CEO of Vagaro. “Many people get so caught up in day-to-day responsibilities that they don’t prioritize time to take care of themselves, however, placing importance on activities that encourage relaxation can make you better equipped physically, mentally and emotionally to face life’s daily stressors.”

Additional highlights from the survey:

• Nearly three in five (59%) people will only practice self-care if they feel stressed.
• More than seven in 10 (72%) people like to use self-care as a reward after a long, tough week.
• Respondents cited these benefits of self-care: self-confidence boost (64%), increased productivity (67%), happiness (71%).
• Split feelings on in-person self-care while the pandemic continues: half of Americans are not waiting for the pandemic to end before visiting the salon for a haircut or hair color treatment; 54% are ready to visit a spa for wellness treatments.

Added Helou, “The benefits of self-care are immeasurable. Businesses who are ready to operate in-person appointments can follow Vagaro’s COVID-Clean protocols to ensure the safety of staff and customers. In addition, establishments can offer virtual consultations/appointments on self-care activities for those who aren’t comfortable venturing out yet.”

Vagaro offers the following tips to help make self-care part of your permanent lifestyle:

• Determine what self-care means to you. Some activities will work for you, and others won’t. Figure out what makes you feel relaxed and practice your preferred form of self-care to get the maximum benefits.
• Schedule time for self-care. Determine how many times a week and which activity you want to do. Once it’s in your calendar, you’re more likely to keep your self-care appointment.
• Businesses should prepare for the post-pandemic rush: Spas, salons and gyms should plan for the influx of appointments when restrictions lift, since research shows people will prioritize self-care more in 2021 and feel it’s not just a pandemic fad.

Visit the Vagaro blog for more tips on wellness.

About the Research

The online survey was created by Vagaro and conducted by OnePoll in December 2020. It includes responses from more than 2,000 Americans.

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