The average Briton does just 12 good deeds a month, study claims
Almost half of those surveyed say lack of time prevents them from performing more random acts of kindness
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Your support makes all the difference.The average British person does just 12 good deeds a month – three of which are in the hope of getting something in return, according to a study.
Researchers who polled 2,000 adults discovered the most common good deeds were holding a door open and taking in a neighbour’s parcel.
Helping someone carry their bags, letting another driver out of a junction and putting the kettle on also made the list.
Other kind gestures people regularly perform included checking up on someone if they seem upset, babysitting for a friend or giving up a seat on a bus or train.
The research also revealed that almost half of British people said a lack of time prevents them from doing more good deeds.
Those who do find time said the "warm, fuzzy feeling" they get after doing a nice thing lasted more than a day, on average.
Laura McIntosh from food company Whitworths, which commissioned the research, said: “We lead busy lives, but it’s important to find the time to do good deeds for others and help people out.
“That’s why we’re challenging the nation to give it a shot and do a good deed, whether giving up a seat on public transport, letting someone out in traffic or simply saying hello to a shop assistant.”
Although three-quarters of British people said they often did kind things for other people, just 63 per cent say they were the sort of person who did "good deeds".
Two-thirds were most likely to do kind things for family members, and nearly half would do so for friends.
But less than one in 10 would more typically carry out thoughtful gestures for strangers in need.
The research also found one-quarter would help out their community by attending sponsored events and one-fifth would volunteer their time for local school or church events.
When thinking about the last time they did a good deed, three in 10 said they had done something nice for someone else in the last week, but one in 20 had not done so for a month or longer.
Yet 85 per cent believed they could do more "good deeds", with one fifth saying they did not do more because they had enough problems of their own.
Four in 10 did not have the money to do more good deeds, with 44 per cent saying they did not have the time.
And more than two fifths agreed they only did good deeds for others in the hope their kindness would be reciprocated.
The study also found 68 per cent thought good deeds often go unnoticed by people around them.
And just half said others would do nice things for them.
One-quarter said neighbours often did "good deeds" for them, with one third having been on the receiving end of a thoughtful gesture from work colleagues.
Just one in 10 would describe themselves as being more mean-spirited than kind-hearted, with two-thirds agreeing the opposite was true for themselves.
Top 30 most common good deeds
Hold a door open for someone
Take in a neighbour’s parcel
Ask a loved one about their day
Let someone have your seat on the train / bus
Give someone a lift
Let another driver out of a junction
Help someone carry their bags
Check on someone who seems upset, to find out why
Donate to charity
Make a colleague a cup of tea
Buy someone a gift for no particular reason
Say sorry for something even if it wasn’t your fault
Babysit for a friend or family member
Give someone a cuddle if they look like they need it
Sponsor someone
Teach an older person how to use some technology
Organise a family day out
Pay for a family meal
Offer to help with someone’s work
Check in on someone who is unwell
Look after a friend’s pet
Give hand-me-down clothing to friends or family
Tell someone they have something on their face or in their teeth
Go to the shops for someone who is ill
Donate old clothing, toiletries etc to the homeless
Write a thank you note for a present
Help out an animal in need
Allow a driver to merge into your lane
Treat a friend to dinner
Help someone move house
SWNS
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