WE all need a little time to ourselves, right? While the ladies might go for a relaxing bubble bath with scented candles and a bit of Marvin Gaye in the background for their little 'escape', us lads are quite happy just sitting on the toilet ... apparently.
According to a survey carried out in 2018, a third of men admit to hiding out in the bathroom to get some peace and quiet away from the family.
The UK-based study, conducted by Pebble Grey, surveyed 1,000 men and found that on average they spend seven hours every year out of sight in the toilet, just trying to get some peace and quiet.
The main reasons for 'escaping' to the sanctuary of the bathroom tend to be to avoid chores, their nagging partners/noisy kids, and simply to be on their mobile phones undisturbed.
Pebble Grey Director, Helena Linsky said: "We all need a little bit of time to ourselves - to take stock or switch off completely.
"And the bathroom appears to be the go-to place for those moments – it’s very much a sanctuary, somewhere we can cut ourselves off from the outside world, albeit just temporarily.
"As the results suggest, peace and quiet are considered sacred and clearly men take the opportunity to get this where they can – often in the bathroom."
The study also found that 14% of men admitted to hiding things in the bathroom like magazines, books and even food for when they inevitably retreat to their escape pod.
23% of men described the bathroom as their 'safe space', while a quarter of those surveyed said they "wouldn't know how they'd cope" if they couldn't escape to the toilet.
It isn't a surprise to see that a sizeable proportion of men have taken to hiding. 45% of them admitted that they "struggle to find time for themselves" and the bathroom is one of the few places in a family home where that is almost guaranteed.
Saying though, 85% of men said that they still get disturbed in the toilet, even with a 'do not disturb' policy in effect.
Helena Linsky at Pebble Grey said: "Apparently some things aren’t sacred anymore – including being left alone to use the loo. So it’s no wonder so many households have introduced rules to prevent disturbances.
"Sadly though it seems few people adhere to this rule or respect the hallowed ground that is the bathroom."
Despite the fact that men are the ones using the toilet as a sanctuary, the study found that 72% of women cleaned the bathroom more than their male partners.
Typical, eh?
