Australia is in a ‘fun crisis’, study finds

Young people jumping inside ocean in summer excursion day - Happy friends diving from sailing boat into the sea - Vacation, youth and fun concept - Focus on bodies silhouette - Fisheye lens distortion

Challenging the age-old stereotype of the fun-loving Aussie larrikin, new research has found the nation is in a ‘fun crisis’.

According to the 2019 Fun Report, released by Carnival Cruise Line in conjunction with The Happiness Institute, shows Australians are no longer letting the good times roll, with three in four admitting to feeling guilty when they have fun.

Furthermore, Aussies give the country a fun rating of just 5.6 out of 10, while only four in 10 say they try to find a balance between work and play.

But were we more ‘fun’ in the past? Yes, according to many Australians, with almost half of the survey respondents stating that life used to be more enjoyable in the past, when life was simpler.

Aussies reported a handful of major barriers impacting their ability to have fun, predominantly not having enough money to enjoy themselves (56 per cent), followed by feeling burnt out or exhausted from not having a holiday in a while (39 per cent) and tied down with chores (39 per cent).

Lacking connections with loved ones is another pain point, with more than a quarter of Australians (27 per cent) stating they aren’t spending enough quality time with their family, if any at all.

Dr Tim Sharp, aka “Dr Happy”, from The Happiness Institute and co-author of the report, said it appears the nation is in a fun crisis.

“Plain and simple, Aussies have forgotten how to have fun,” he said.

“With people’s lives getting busier and busier, Australian families aren’t prioritising having fun or spending time with each other, and when they do enjoy themselves, they feel exceptionally guilty about it.

“Regardless of who’s to blame, all this signposts that something is out of balance in our lives.”

Advertise with us

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

2019 Fun Report carnival cruise line fun fun crisis The Happiness Institute