Eight in 10 Brits appreciate 'time wins' in life - allowing them to gain time

23 November 2023 , 16:01

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Lucky Brits can win up to £50k by finding all 90 hidden bingo calls in a new Gala Bingo competition (Image: Gala Bingo)

Over eight in 10 Brits (83%) enjoy the little moments in life where they are able to gain back some unexpected time – such as a new supermarket till opening just as they are about to join a long queue, a study has found.

Other “time wins” include finding the perfect parking space first time around, being called in to see the doctor as soon as they arrive in the waiting room, and finally getting round to a task they'd been putting off – only to find it took less time than anticipated.

Meanwhile, 16% have been pleasantly surprised by a bus or train turning up on time, while 17% have gained precious moments after someone else tidied up the house for them.

And with 41%, of the 2,000 adults polled, saying they find it hard to make time for the little things in life, due to constant tasks, these “time wins” certainly provide a boost of joy when they occur.

On average, those polled experience three of these moments each week – with three in 10 saying they would feel “amazed” if they hit ten “time wins” in one day.

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However, it also emerged that 57% are actively trying to focus on themselves more, by improving their self-care routine with small, but achievable, things.

These include reading that book that has been sitting there for months, fitting in some exercise, or becoming absorbed in a game or a puzzle.

Finding a perfect parking space first time around is one of the top little 'time wins' in life (SWNS)

A spokesman from Gala Bingo, which commissioned the research to launch its “All The Calls” competition, said: “It’s those “made in heaven” moments, when you’ve managed to grab back a bit of time for yourself, that make you feel like you’ve really hit the bullseye.

“So, it’s really interesting to see the top 20 time wins, as voted by the public. Imagine if all of these things happened to you in one day – that’d really be “landing a score”.

“However, our favourite time win on the top 20 list was the lucky number seven, with rolling past those traffic lights or roadworks when you thought you’d get stuck for ages.”

The study also found 70% confess to feeling so busy on some days, they simply don’t know where the time goes.

And other “time wins” that delight the nation include a delivery turning up within two weeks, when they were expecting it to be much longer (28%), or braving the shops expecting a long trawl to find the perfect item – only to pick it up first time (27%).

The main instinct people have, when they encounter one of these little ways to steal back time, is to simply smile quietly and hope their luck doesn’t change. However, a vocal 11% will say “yes!” out loud – even if they’re on their own.

Just over six in 10 (62%) of those polled, via OnePoll, have also engineered a time win for someone else, with 42% of these saying it made them feel happy about themselves.

A spokesman for Gala Bingo, which has a £50K competition for those who can find all 90 calls hidden in a short film, added: “We could all use a bit of extra time in our lives, and doing something to give a time win to someone else – like tidying the house – is a great favour to bestow.

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“This research shows people in the UK are great at finding silver linings and little positives to brighten their days. Just as these small time wins give Brits the little joys in life, we want to give people something else to smile about, by celebrating their time win and using it to take part in our competition.”

THE TOP 20 “TIME WINS”:

1. A big queue at a supermarket check-out, but then a new one opens and you’re the first to be served
2. Going into a doctor's waiting room, and getting called in straight away
3. Finding a parking space the first time around
4. When a delivery said 6-8 weeks, but it turns up in two
5. When a task you've been putting off takes less time than expected
6. Finding exactly what you're looking for in the first shop you try
7. Rolling up to some traffic lights/road works, which notoriously take ages to get through, but it turns green immediately
8. No traffic on your way to work, or on your way home from work
9. Plans being cancelled, so you can be at home and get jobs done that you weren't able to before
10. Getting home when it's time for tea, to find someone has made it for you
11. Someone else tidying the house for you
12. The train/bus actually turning up on time – to your surprise
13. When your flight somehow manages to land earlier than it said it would
14. A work call finishing earlier than expected
15. No queue at the tip (recycling centre), so you can sail in and out
16. When the other person doesn't turn up for an online meeting
17. Both you and your partner agreeing on a film to watch on the first suggestion
18. A client cancelling a work call
19. Getting a reservation at your favourite restaurant, which is usually difficult to book
20. Turning up to board a flight, and remembering that you have speedy boarding

Martin Winter