23% net optimism

↑+1pts on last week ↓-5pts on last year

8 May 2026

A way off last year’s early summer numbers and 45% of us say life feels boring

A micro recovery and the truth behind that number is the bank holiday was smaller than we’d like

Every measure we track (holidays, day trips, pubs, friends at home) had the quietest May bank holiday in five years. People went into the weekend hoping for a quiet one, they came out with nothing to talk about on Tuesday.

The real bill has now arrived, you can’t remove all the spontaneity and expect the week to still feel worth having.

45% now say life feels boring. Climbing towards the all-time high. And I think this matters more than it sounds. For three years the national coping strategy has been to pull back, cut down, make do. It worked, people felt more in control, but the real bill has now arrived, you can’t remove all the spontaneity, all the social occasions, all the small treats and expect the week to still feel worth having.

The “be productive” desire has risen to match “relax” for the first time. People want to get on top of things. But the gardening’s stalling, the to-do list grows, jobs get added and none come off. Weekends look empty but feel heavy. More time, less to show for it.

One small bright spot: “happy just enjoying the moment” is rising. The unexpected half hour in the sun, or a bit of spectacle on the telly. The bar is low – so brands which make the small, attainable moments feel worth talking about will win.

Based on Konfidant's weekly survey and qualitative interviews. Base: 2,000 UK adults per week.