Can’t Quit/Won’t Quit – Irish People Confess Their Worst Habits

 The vast majority (92 per cent) of Irish adults admit to having a bad habit which they wish they could give up for good. 

Results suggest that good intentions aren’t necessarily enough to crack bad habits, indeed 82 per cent of Irish adults are guilty of trying and failing to give up a bad habit. According to the poll, carried out on behalf of CMRF Crumlin, the bad habits that adults would most like to get rid of include eating chocolate (18 per cent), being a couch potato (13 per cent), and smoking cigarettes (13 per cent).

Irish women are particularly concerned about their junk food addictions with more than a third of women (32 per cent) wanting to permanently banish chocolate and crisps from their diet. Irish men on the other hand, are less interested in giving up unhealthy snacks and are more worried about being fit and active, with a third wanting to give up their couch potato ways.

For 1 in 2 Irish people the bad habits of their partner are a cause of daily frustration. Smart phone addiction, snoring like a tractor and finger/toe-nail biting were all mentioned as the most unbearable bad habits in a partner.

The poll found that for a quarter of women, snoring is the most annoying habit in their partner, seeing their other half on a smartphone 24/7 is intolerable for 16 per cent, and the same number (16 per cent) can’t stand it when their partner leaves wet clothes and towels on the floor. For over a third (35 per cent) of Irish men, a partner who moans a lot is a real killjoy, and the same number (35 per cent) also feel smartphone addiction is a hugely unattractive habit for a partner to have.

According to the research, the flirting habits of their partner annoy 1 in 10 Irish women. Interestingly however, men don’t share the same concern, with the poll showing absolutely no mention among male respondents of frustrating flirting tendencies of their partners.

Smartphone addictions far outweigh chocolate addictions among Irish people today - 84 per cent would prefer to give up chocolate for good rather than part with their smartphones for just one week. Lipstick and lashes are an essential part of many Irish women’s daily routine, with more than half (54 per cent) refusing to sacrifice a full face of make-up for 30 extra minutes in bed each morning. Giving up a hot shower in the morning for more time under the duvet divided respondents evenly, with 50 per cent choosing the extra time in bed while the other 50 per cent would give priority to a hot shower.

As we approach Easter Sunday, CMRF Crumlin is making one final call to the public to ‘give up’ something in order to help raise much- needed funds for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin and the National Children’s Research Centre. From a morning cappuccino, to that indulgent afternoon bar of chocolate, simply choose a guilty treat or habit to give up and use some of the money saved to donate to CMRF Crumlin. To get involved log on to www.giveitup.ie to register interest and pledge a donation.

Proceeds from the ‘Give It Up’ campaign will go towards the funding of new capital projects and cutting edge equipment at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin as well as pioneering paediatric medical research at the National Children’s Research Centre. This in turn offers the very best chance of recovery to the 130,000 sick children that come through the doors of the hospital annually.