About 84% of women surveyed in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt want more uninterrupted time for themselves, with the proportion reaching 91% in Egypt, 82% in Saudi Arabia and 79% in the UAE, according to research released by Galaxy on Tuesday.
The Galaxy Time Global Report, based on a survey of 8,000 consumers across six markets, examined how women spend their personal time and what prevents them from enjoying it. The findings for the Middle East are based on 3,000 female respondents.
Across the three markets, 93% of women said me-time feels truly meaningful and indulgent only when it is undisturbed, highlighting the importance of uninterrupted personal time rather than simply having more of it.
In the UAE, 74% of women said they get less personal time than they would like, while 79% wanted more uninterrupted time.
Everyday interruptions disrupt personal time
The study found that simple sensory activities, such as enjoying coffee, following a skincare routine, taking a long bath and scenting the home, are among the ways women value their personal time.
Savouring coffee was cited by 60% to 66% of respondents across the three markets. Skincare rituals were valued by 45% to 54% of women, with the highest proportion recorded in the UAE. Scenting the home was cited by four in 10 women in Saudi Arabia.
However, interruptions can significantly affect the experience. Among women who reported getting me-time, the average interruption lasted between 24 and 32 minutes. Women in Egypt reported an average of 5.5 interruptions a day.
Nearly half of respondents in Egypt (48%) and Saudi Arabia (47%) said they felt upset when their personal time was interrupted.
The most frequently cited frustrating interruption was someone asking a question they could easily have answered themselves. This was reported by 41% of women in the UAE, 37% in Saudi Arabia and 36% in Egypt.
Work-related interruptions were particularly prominent in the UAE, where 21% of women said colleagues interrupted their me-time, compared with a six-market female average of 14%. Another 16% reported interruptions from managers, against the overall average of 9%.
Everyday interruptions were the most frequently cited barrier to personal time in Egypt, reported by 30% of women, followed by family commitments at 28%. In Saudi Arabia, both factors were cited by 27% of respondents.
When preparing to go out, time management was the leading source of tension, cited by 40% to 44% of women across the markets. Unequal sharing of preparation responsibilities was reported by 30% to 36%, while communication breakdowns were cited by 27% to 33%.
Guilt is less of a barrier
The research found that women in the three Middle East markets were less likely than the female average across all six markets to identify guilt as the biggest obstacle to taking time for themselves.
Only 6% of women in Egypt and Saudi Arabia cited guilt, compared with 9% in the UAE and 12% across all six markets. The findings suggest that practical disruptions may be a greater constraint than feeling guilty about taking personal time.
“Self-care without interruption is a prerequisite for psychological restoration. The body needs continuity to genuinely restore itself. When we interrupt someone’s self-care, we’re not just stealing minutes… we’re actively preventing the restorative state that makes that time valuable. I am pleased to see in the data that women no longer struggle with guilt about taking time for themselves. Now, what they need and are asking for is for others to respect the boundary they’ve already decided they need” said Dr. Saliha Afridi, PsyD.
The study also found that 80% of women in both Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and 78% in the UAE, had wished they could tune out the noise around them and protect their peace.
Dalia Salib, chief marketing officer at Mars MEA, said the findings highlighted the importance of protecting personal time amid increasing demands on women’s schedules.
“Galaxy has always been associated with moments of relaxation, indulgence and the pleasure of smooth, silky chocolate. As the pressures and demands on women’s time continue to increase, it is more important than ever to protect ‘me-time’ and ensure it remains uninterrupted. We need to be intentional about giving women the space to truly unwind, while everything else can wait. Our research shows that women are not asking for permission to enjoy time for themselves; they are asking the world around them to honour it. It is a small ask, but one that can make a meaningful difference. After all, even a few uninterrupted minutes can transform a simple pause into a truly pleasurable moment,” says Salib.
Galaxy said it aims to encourage women to set aside time for themselves and enjoy moments of relaxation without everyday distractions.
