Originally published: The Canberra Times, 09 April 2026
Australia is facing a ‘Time Off Trap’ as new research from Carnival Cruise Line reveals Aussies waste a third (33 per cent) of their annual leave allowance on life admin tasks, at the expense of having fun.
The research also found:
- More than half (54 per cent) of employed Australians admit to using their annual leave for life admin in the last two years, rising to 63 per cent for millennials and 61 per cent for parents.
- Time to play and switch off is instead being swallowed by housework and chores (50 per cent), running errands (42 per cent), emails and bills (40 per cent), attending appointments (37 per cent).
The problem is even clearer in New South Wales and Queensland, where the calendar offers fewer chances to properly switch off.
About the research: Research conducted by Pureprofile on behalf of Carnival Cruise Line from January 27 to February 2, 2026, surveying 1,002 employed Australians aged 18 years and over. The data collected was nationally representative of age, gender and location.
