New Report: A new report from Husqvarna Australia, Take Back Time, has found the majority of lawn-mowing Australians (73%) are missing out on doing the things that really matter, by spending over 100 hours a year mowing lawns, the equivalent of 12 days a year.
The research conducted with a representative sample of 1,003 lawn-mowing Australians and four leading commentators – Jason Hodges (award-winning landscaper), Kate Christie (time management expert), Sahra O’Doherty (registered psychologist) and Geoff Quattromani (international tech commentator) – details not only our love of lawns, but how there needs to be a shift in Australians’ perceptions of time-saving, environmentally sustainable technology in our pursuit of ‘lawn pride’.
The number one smart technology solution in lawn care is automated, robotic lawn mowers, with Husqvarna having over 27 years of innovation experience in this space as the leading, proven provider with their Husqvarna Automower® range.
Of the Australians studied, 80% want a freshly cut, great looking lawn, with 48% wanting to feel proud of their lawns and 37% seeking a better quality lawn. In addition, most Australians are time poor with 83% wanting to reduce the time spent mowing, and 58% wish someone else would mow their lawn.
Lawns do not just provide aesthetic and lush greenery, they are a focal point for the home to gather with loved ones, or to simply run around and have fun in as Jason Hodges, award-winning landscaper says, “A lot of what most of us really enjoy in life comes from learning it in the backyard – it’s an important and special place for most Australians. But the research shows nearly 4 in 10 Australians who mow their lawn do so once a week or more – for a lot of us this isn’t time best spent”.
The report outlines a range of challenges when it comes to lawn mowing. The top three things Australians don’t enjoy are mowing in the heat (53%), that they would rather be doing something else (21%), and the time and effort involved (20%).
Many things get in the way of keeping the backyard in its best condition as Hodges explains, “The biggest mistake I see is people leaving the lawn care to once a week or a fortnight and just trying to get in there and bash it out. When this happens, the grass growth gets long and nasty, grows upwards, instead of sideways, letting in weeds and often looks terrible when it’s finished.”
“Looking to technology, such as automated robotic lawnmowers, takes all of these variables out of the equation and makes lawn care a game changer; more time back in your life, whilst enhancing the quality of the lawn.” said Hodges. When it comes to lawn care it is important to be making the most sustainable choices possible. As Hodges explains, “We need to think carefully about the type of lawn we plant. Hardy grass varieties requiring less water and minimal fertiliser are going to help reduce your carbon footprint, as is watering more wisely. But using Automower is one of the most impactful ways for you to mow; as it returns the clippings back into the grass, returning all those nutrients to the soil, improving the lawn quality. Plus it’s battery-powered with no direct emissions, so you are not emitting greenhouse gas into the air.” said Hodges.
“At the end of the day, everyone wants to get that lawn pride feeling – whilst also doing the
right thing by the planet. There are things you can achieve through technology advancements, and machines, that can just do better than we can, so we should embrace these advancements.” concluded Hodges.
Other key findings from the report include:
Time To Outsource
Most Australians are very time poor and we work some of the longest full-time hours of any developed country in the world.
Time management expert Kate Christie says, “Australians understand on a rational level, being busy all the time is not something they want to strive for, and I believe it’s actually an example of how unproductive you are. For a lot of people ‘busyness’ has acquired social status, a badge of honour.”
As a result of COVID there has been a positive slowdown in pace which has offered the opportunity to reset and to find a better way to live. Christie has observed, “Right now we have this beautiful window to create a new business as usual version of our lives and we don’t have to revert back to the busyness.”
Christie has one piece of advice for people trying to find more time in their week, “It’s time to outsource. Look for products that enable you to continue to live a great but slower paced life, not a busy life. Using technology to unlock more time in our day is going to be revolutionary in our personal lives.”
The Rise Of The Smart Garden
The Take Back Time report has found at least a third of busy, lawn-mowing Australians have one piece of smart home technology, 38% of Australians believe technology will make their life easier and more convenient, and 30% are seeking technology out to help automate tedious or less important tasks.
Geoff Quarttomani, technology expert explains, “It’s fascinating to see Google Home or Alexa systems being more widely adopted, and seeing how mainstream robot vacuums have become. But when it comes to grass it’s expected to just be done on a Saturday morning – it’s a weird one!”
Quattromani predicts the next big trend in the smart home space is in fact not in the home at all, “Whether it’s inside or outside, smart home technology is giving us one major thing; time back in our day. It’s because of this time saving benefits that we are going to see the rise of the smart garden.”
Quattromani explains the most important thing when choosing smart technology, is choosing something that truly offers convenience – ideally doing a task you’d rather not do, “Technology is so much more than just a new gadget, it’s an enabler. Instead of running around pushing a lawn mower, I’m running around with my kids, and quite simply, that gives me more joy.”
Reclaim The Weekend
The report research found 83% of busy, lawn-mowing Australians say play is important or very important in their lives, however 4 in 10 feel lawn upkeep is getting in the way of them pursuing things they would rather be doing.
Sahra O’Doherty, registered psychologist explains, “Play is crucial for better stress management, brain function, stimulated mind and improved relationships. As adults, the pressures increase to be more productive and we tend to put play on hold as it’s less tangible.”
Our research showed only 3 in 10 Australians have enough time for fun, relaxation and respite once a week, with 2 in 10 Australians less than once a fortnight or hardly ever.
Australians have a real desire to improve their mental wellbeing and physical health by spending more time on the things that matter, with 50% saying if they had more free time they would spend it with family and friends.
“One of the greatest benefits I can see with having more time, particularly if you have a garden, is the ability to spend more time actually enjoying it, rather than doing less enjoyable tasks like lawn mowing. Enjoying the gardening, getting grounded, getting into the earth, and moving away from a task we have to do, that seems to be socially dictated to us.” concludes O’Doherty.
For more on the Take Back Time report and its findings here.
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