To understand how Brits really feel about January, we surveyed 2,000 UK adults to explore attitudes towards socialising, me-time and the growing appeal of the ‘Joy of Missing Out’ (JOMO). The research looks at how people protect their downtime, the excuses they use to avoid plans, and how they want to spend their me time.
January becomes the UK’s month of JOMO
Our research reveals that 79% of Brits have plans to begin 2026 in full JOMO mode, choosing rest and solitude over social commitments.
January has become the nation’s unofficial hibernation month, with 74% of Brits planning to focus on “me-time” instead of spending it with family and friends.
In fact, over three-quarters of adults say they feel “secretly relieved” when plans get cancelled, while over half (55%) admit to cancelling on family and friends to take time for themselves.
White lies, better offers and sick days
On average, Brits tell an average of 2.5 white lies a month to get out of plans, using excuses ranging from fake train delays to mysterious stomach issues.
Many (49%) admit they put plans on hold while waiting to see if a “better offer” appears, leading to non-committal group chats and last-minute cancellations.
Meanwhile, January sick days are quietly being repurposed, with 42% of Brits considering taking a sick day just to have some “me-time” after the busy period of seeing family and lots of socialising in December.
“No Season” mode activated
Our research reveals that nearly three in five Brits (57%) believe January should be a socially accepted “No Season” where people prioritise themselves, with guilt free cancellations.
When it comes to "No Season", Gen Z are leading the charge. 77% of Gen Z admit they would cancel plans for some much-needed alone time. Millennials are not far behind, with over three-quarters (74%) also revealing they’d cancel their plans. Conversely 69% of Boomers would never cancel plans just to have me time.
How far Brits will go to get some alone time
JOMO doesn’t stop at social plans. Many Brits are also finding ways to carve out solitude at home.
56% admit to sitting outside their house in their car to get some alone time, averaging around 19 minutes, with 13% even spending more than 30 minutes doing so. Shockingly, over a fifth (21%) spend up to half an hour enjoying me time in the car before entering the house.
In the home, the bathroom, has become the go to spot for a bit of “me-time”, with 45% of adults saying the loo is where they can be left undisturbed and a third (32%) confessing they’ve even tackled life admin there just to prolong the peace.
How Brits spend their me-time
When it comes to January downtime, film nights top the list (69%) as the nation’s favourite me-time activity.
Other popular guilty pleasures include reading (41%), long baths (28%) and catching up on sleep with a well-earned nap (24%). Others dedicate time to scrolling on socials (24%) or simply sitting in silence on the sofa, ignoring the world entirely (18%).
Life admin is the biggest blocker to January bliss
Despite craving calm, many Brits say everyday admin gets in the way of proper downtime.
For example, 34% say that shopping around for a better deal on household necessities, such as insurance, eat into precious me-time. The desire for simplicity is at its strongest in January, when energy levels are low and financial pressures are often high.
Top 5 tips to simplifying life admin this JOMO January
Turn key dates into reminders - Pop MOT, servicing, boiler checks and health appointments into one calendar so nothing creeps up on you.
Do a quick inbox reset - Create folders and rules for bills, receipts and account updates so the important stuff is easy to find.
Tidy your direct debits – Check your regular payments in your banking app so everything is up to date.
Check your app store - Take a quick look at your active subscriptions to spot anything you no longer use or any free trials due to renew, all in one place so it’s easy to cancel without digging through emails.
Keep insurance simple - Add renewal dates to your calendar with a reminder notice so even if you miss any provider emails you still have enough time to compare quotes and check you’re still getting good value.
Simplifying life admin, from comparing providers to managing renewals, can help you spend less time dealing with bills and more time doing whatever brings you joy this January.
Methodology
Survey of 2,000 UK adults (18+) conducted in December 2025 by 3Gem on behalf of Compare the Market.
Charlie is a senior commercial leader with close to a decade of experience across the UK’s leading personal-finance and comparison platforms. Before joining Compare the Market as Head of Commercial in 2024, he held senior commercial roles at TotallyMoney and MoneySuperMarket Group.
Our content is written by a Compare the Market expert, backed by data and enhanced by technology. Find out how we ensure accuracy and quality in our Editorial Guidelines.
What our expert says...
“It’s clear that Brits are exhausted after Christmas and want nothing more than quiet, simple, unapologetic time to themselves. After weeks of saying yes to everything, people want the freedom to say no without guilt and enjoy proper me-time. January is a pressure cooker of new routines, financial strain and back-to-work chaos, so anything that reduces the mental load can make a difference. Luckily comparing bills and sorting life admin can take minutes, not hours, with Compare the Market so when Brits finally have some spare time, there’s no better time than January to get your finances in order for the year ahead.”