Women Are Happier Being Single, Report Finds. Here’s Why.

According to a report from consumer analyst Mintel, being single is no longer a source of insecurity for women and instead represents independence and the ability to pursue life goals uninterrupted. In fact, 61% of British women are happier being single, compared to only 49% of men.

According to Mintel analyst Jack Duckett, young singles prioritize things other than relationships. “Much of this reluctance to look for a partner can be attributed to the young increasingly prioritizing their education, careers and financial stability over being in relationships.” He said in a press release. “It is easy to assume that all singletons are actively looking for a partner. However, our data shows this is far from always being the case.”

The report also highlights that 75% of single women surveyed did not actively seek a relationship in the past year, compared to 65% of single men. The difference was more pronounced among those aged 45-65, with only 19% of men happy to be single compared to 32% of women. The report suggests that this disparity could be due to the additional effort and labor women often have to put into their relationships, according to Dr. Emily Grundy from the University of Essex, UK.

Essentially, women feel that they work harder on their emotional state than men, therefore they’re happier single

“There’s evidence that women spend longer on domestic tasks than men and I think they also do more emotional work. So they still do more housework and cooking and things as well as more emotional labor.” Grundy said.

She went on to express that men are more reliant on their partners. At the same time, women are drawn to close friends and selective social circles. “Certainly, there’s a common finding from a lot of studies that women who don’t have a partner tend to do more social activities and [have] more friends,” Grundy added.

“Women tend to be better at having alternative social networks and other confidantes. Whereas men tend to rely quite heavily on their wives for that and have fewer other social ties.” Grundy said. She also noted that research has demonstrated that unmarried women tend to engage in social activities more often than unmarried men do.

Read: Two women take breakup holiday together after finding out they were both dating the same man

Turns out women are a lot happier not putting a ring on it than guys are

In addition, Professor Bella DePaulo, a social scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, has conducted research on the effects of being single on individuals, as well as how single individuals are perceived by others, through her experiments which she calls “single studies”.

“I found there are such huge benefits to staying single,” DePaulo shared. “Women, especially, are more likely to enjoy solitude than men are. Single women find being alone is a wonderful time for restoration, creativity, and personal growth. And there are so many more opportunities to create the life you want, such as traveling, following your passions, and doing meaningful work.”

Keep Reading: People Honestly Shared Why They Are Glad to Be Single