84% of women across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt crave more uninterrupted “me-time”

Around 8 in 10 women surveyed in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt (84% of respondents on average) crave more uninterrupted time for themselves, according to new research released today by Galaxy. The figure peaks at 91% in Egypt, compared with 82% in Saudi Arabia and 79% in the UAE. Across the three markets, 93% say me-time only feels truly meaningful and indulgent when it is undisturbed, highlighting a gap between having personal time and being able to enjoy it without disruption.

The Galaxy Time Global Report surveyed 8,000 consumers across six markets to explore how women spend the time they set aside for themselves—and what disrupts it. For the Middle East, all findings are based on 3,000 female respondents*, with the gap between the amount and quality of me-time evident across the markets surveyed.

In the UAE for example, 74% of women say they get less personal time than they would like while 79% want more uninterrupted time, and 93% believe me-time only feels indulgent when it is undisturbed.

Small sensory rituals matter

Across the region, the joys that women value most are often simple and sensory: These include savouring a coffee (60–66%), following a skincare ritual (starting at 45% and peaking at 54% in the UAE), taking a long bath, and scenting the home, the last one cited by 4 in 10 women in Saudi Arabia, the highest proportion across the three markets. These rituals may take only a few minutes, but their value and impact depend on those minutes remaining uninterrupted.

Interruptions carry a measurable cost

Among women who report getting me-time, the average interruption lasts between 24 and 32 minutes. In Egypt, women report an average of 5.5 interruptions per day. The impact is emotional as well as practical: nearly half of women in Egypt (48%) and Saudi Arabia (47%) say they feel upset when their personal time is interrupted.

“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 interruptions women find most frustrating

The most frequently cited irritating interruption is someone asking a question they could easily have answered themselves, reported by 41% of women in the UAE, 37% in Saudi Arabia and 36% in Egypt.

Work-related interruptions are especially prominent in the UAE. Women there are 7 percentage points more likely than the six-market female average to be interrupted during me-time by colleagues (21% versus 14%), and 7 percentage points more likely to be interrupted by their manager (16% versus 9%).

Everyday interruptions are the most frequently cited barrier to personal me-time among women in Egypt (30%), ahead of family commitments (28%). In Saudi Arabia, the two are tied at 27%. When women are preparing to go out, the most reported source of tension is time management (40–44%), followed by an unequal share of preparation (30–36%) and communication breakdowns (27–33%).

Pleasure is worth protecting

One finding challenges a familiar assumption: women in the three Middle East markets surveyed are less likely than the female average across all six markets to identify guilt as the greatest barrier to taking time for themselves. Guilt is cited by only 6% of women in Egypt and Saudi Arabia and 9% in the UAE, compared with 12% across all six markets. The findings suggest that practical interruptions—such as a doorbell, a group chat or a question that could have waited—may be a more immediate constraint than permission to take time.

“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 Dalia Salib, Chief Marketing Officer at Mars MEA.

Based on the survey findings, 80% of women in each of Egypt and Saudi Arabia and 78% in the UAE, say they have wished they could tune out the noise around them and protect their own peace. Respecting boundaries, delaying non-urgent interruptions and allowing personal rituals to remain uninterrupted are simple ways to help make me-time more restorative and meaningful.

Galaxy is playing its part by giving women the cue to stop thinking about everyone else and focus on themselves for a short while. With its smooth, creamy, indulgent taste, it wants to help them switch the world off, protect their peace and enjoy a moment of uninterrupted pleasure.