Gen Zs are so time-poor they are listening to voice notes at double speed

Gen Zs are so time-poor they are listening to voice notes and other media at double speed, a study has found.

A poll of 2,000 adults found 50 per cent of those aged 18 to 29 speed up voice note playback all or most of the time, and 33 per cent do so with TikTok and Instagram videos.

Amy Hunt, the fastest woman in Britain, has teamed up with Sky Broadband | Joe Pepler/PinPep

placeholder image — Amy Hunt, the fastest woman in Britain, has teamed up with Sky Broadband | Joe Pepler/PinPep

The habit appears to be growing, with half of Gen Z (50 per cent) having increased playback speeds more often than they did two years ago, while 30 per cent of those surveyed admitted some videos now feel too slow to watch at their normal speed.

The research commissioned by Sky Broadband found putting life on fast-forward also extended beyond social media, as 33 per cent skimmed long articles for key information and 26 per cent checked restaurant menus before dinner to decide what they want.

Others admitted to racing through everyday tasks too, with 19 per cent power walking around the supermarket.

More than three quarters (76 per cent) of Gen Z admitted to skipping through content, compared with 53 per cent of Millennials. This fell to just 23 per cent of Gen X and 12 per cent of Boomers with 60 per cent of those 18-29 happily owning the title of the most impatient generation when consuming content.

Tapping into the nation’s need for speed, Sky Broadband, which provides the fastest broadband speeds of 5Gbps available to 14 per cent of UK homes, has teamed up with Britain’s fastest woman, Amy Hunt.

The internet provider created a mockumentary-style film that sees her race through everyday moments while the world struggles to keep up.

Amy Hunt said: “When you train for a living, every second counts, so patience has never really been my strong suit. I like to think I live life at 2x speed. Whether that’s on the track or watching something on my phone, I’m always looking for the fast-forward button.

“This film has fun with that, because when you’re used to moving quickly, waiting for everything else to catch up can feel like a lifetime.”

This frustration is particularly apparent online, with 23 per cent annoyed by waiting for apps to update, 17 per cent by video game refreshing and 16 per cent by slow-loading social media content.

While Brits are taking more control over how quickly they consume content, their patience for delays appears to be wearing thin. And for many, attention is lost in a matter of seconds, with more than a fifth (22 per cent) abandoning content if it fails to grab them within five seconds or less.

Nearly one in five Millennials (19 per cent) find waiting for their broadband more frustrating than queuing at the shops, while 18 per cent of Brits say getting used to instant access has made waiting more frustrating than it used to be.

Amy Hunt started in a mockumentary-style film where she races through life | Joe Pepler/PinPep

But it’s not all down to impatience, as 21 per cent used faster playback to get through educational material more quickly.

A further 16 per cent sped up or skipped videos to fit more useful material into their day, while 20 per cent of Gen Z said it helps them feel more in control of their time.

Yet some moments are still worth savouring, with 56 per cent preferring to watch a favourite TV drama or eagerly anticipated film at its original pace, where pauses and tension are part of the appeal.

However, some would rather avoid things altogether, including long stories where they wish someone would get to the point (26 per cent) and videos shared with instructions that they must watch (18 per cent).

Almost half would also happily skip sitting in traffic (48 per cent) or being put on hold (48 per cent). As waiting for delayed flights or trains (43 per cent) and supermarket queues (40 per cent) came out among the other everyday frustrations Brits would happily fast-forward through.

Ben Case, managing director of connectivity at the internet provider, said: “Life moves fast, and your broadband should keep up.”