53% Believe That the Downshifting Lifestyle Reduces Stress

Downshifting is a lifestyle where one lives ‘simply’ and away from the rigors of hectic, fast-paced life. It embraces finding and improving the balance between leisure and work to find harmony with oneself. Downshifting Lifestyle is becoming more acknowledged these days, given how exhausting life has become for many.

Thus, Real Research — the online survey app, launched a survey about the downshifting lifestyle to find out if respondents are aware of it. It also aims to find the reason behind it as well as answers to other questions like the appropriate age to ‘downshift’, and possible pros and cons. Here are the results.

Highlights:

• 81.33% have heard of the term ‘Downshifting Lifestyle’.
• 39.61% say ‘intensity of normal life’ makes them choose Downshifting Lifestyle.
• 38.62% say becoming ‘debt-free’ is the best way to start Downshifting Lifestyle.

Respondents Discuss Reasons People Choose a Downshifting Lifestyle

To start off, the survey asked respondents whether they have heard of the term ‘Downshifting Lifestyle’. To which 81.33% responded ‘Yes’ and 18.68% said ‘No’.

Next, the survey asked respondents what would make people choose the Downshifting Lifestyle. In response, 39.61% say ‘intensity of normal life’, 15.03% say ‘stressful work’, and 10.63% say ‘lack of communication with family, spouses/lovers’.

Moreover, 5.05% say ‘complicated situations in life’ while 3.29% say they want to escape from current responsibilities and recharge themselves. Lastly, 1.89% say ‘burnout’ and 1.67% say when there are enough savings and can change their life.

Accordingly, the survey asks respondents whether they have ever considered the Downshifting Lifestyle. To which 48.99% say ‘yes, in the future’, 14.17% say ‘yes, I‘m planning to change my lifestyle’, and 10.23% say ‘no, not at the moment ’.

Respondents Discuss the Best Way To Start a Downshifting Lifestyle

Next, the survey on a Downshifting Lifestyleasks what is the best way to start one? To this, 38.62% say to become ‘debt-free’, 12.88% say ‘slow down and enjoy every task’, and 12.30% say to connect with nature.

Furthermore, 4.52% say ‘to spend more time with loved ones’, 3.27% say ‘learn to say no’, and 0.74% suggest moving to a small city. Finally, 0.69% say moving to islands is the best way to start a Downshifting Lifestyle.

Following after, the survey asked respondents’ opinions on the most appropriate age for Downshifting Lifestyle. To this, 51.04% suggest the 30s, whereas 18.35% say 40s, 16.45% say the 50s, and 12.63% say ‘from 60 years and older.’

Respondents Discuss the Pros of Downshifting Lifestyle

Next the survey asks about the pros of Downshifting Lifestyle. Here, 53% responded by saying ‘stress reduction’ and 10.91% say ‘independent time planning’. Then, 9.74% say ‘better quality of life and mental health’ and 8.39% say ‘self-realization and development of creative potential’.

Moreover, 4.79% feel a Downshifting Lifestyle will help them spend quality time with friends and family. Lastly, 1.23% say ‘the capacity to travel around the world at any time.’ However, 10.57% find no pros to downshifting.

In contrast, the survey asks about the cons of a Downshifting Lifestyle. To which, 34.98% say ‘pause in work experience’, 22.38% say ‘reduced income’, and 13.74% say laziness. Moreover, 8.06% say ‘loss of professional ties’ while 5.69% suggest ‘lack of communication in the business world’.

Lastly, 3.05% say ‘lack of understanding of real needs’, leaving 10.74% who say there aren’t any cons to downshifting. To conclude, respondents were asked how they feel about a Downshifting Lifestyle in general. On this, 36.16% find it ‘extremely positive’, 28.69% say ‘neutral’, and 24.94% say ‘positive’. On the other hand, 7.43% say ‘negative’, and 2.79% say ‘somehow negative’.