• Time is the Germans' most precious commodity
• Two out of three Germans want more time for themselves
• More than half of Germans want to save money
• Only one in five wants to make a career start 
• High earners save rather than fulfil their dreams

Above all, Germans want more time for themselves, friends and family in 2016. This is closely followed by the intention to build up more financial reserves. By contrast, goals for self-realisation and discovering new opportunities are mentioned much less frequently.

This is the result of a recent representative survey conducted by the BAT Foundation for Future Studies, in which over 2,000 people aged 14 and over were asked in personal interviews about their personal goals for the coming year. 

"In an increasingly fast-paced world that offers little consistency and time to take a deep breath, time is becoming the most precious commodity. Due to the increasing demands in and on the job, the ever-increasing opportunities in leisure time and the constant tasks of everyday life, many people increasingly feel that there is not enough time for the important things in life. As a result, they want more time for themselves, their family and friends"says the Scientific Director of the BAT Foundation, Prof Dr Ulrich Reinhardt.

The top 3 personal goals of Germans reflect the need for time. The analysis of the representative survey reveals numerous significant differences between the individual population groups. For example, East Germans attach more importance to family time than West Germans, men want more time for friends and women, on the other hand, favour more time for themselves. Within the occupational groups, the self-employed/freelancers most frequently cite the need to see their family more often and to have more time for individual interests. At the same time, they prioritise friends the least of all occupational groups. 

Within the 24 to 49 age group, marital status determines priorities: childless couples are particularly likely to want to take more time for themselves in 2016. Parents, on the other hand, want to experience family life more intensively and singles want to meet friends more often.  

The majority of the population plans to build up financial reserves in 2016 and thus fulfil their own desire for security. In contrast, not even one in three people plan to fulfil a long-cherished dream in the future. 

Reinhardt: "The discussions about low pension entitlements, falling pension levels and poverty in old age have left their mark. Despite low interest rates and fluctuating share indices, broad sections of the population are planning to put more money aside for a rainy day. The fulfilment of a dream, on the other hand, continues to be postponed."

On the one hand, some expectations are confirmed within the population, but on the other hand, there are also surprising results. Middle-aged people in particular are planning to put more money aside. However, the majority of younger Germans also want to build up financial reserves in the future. All age groups are cautious when it comes to fulfilling a dream, with only one in three of those under the age of 35 intending to turn this into reality in 2016. 

Within the income groups, the willingness to save money (and undoubtedly the ability to do so) is significantly higher among higher-income households than among lower-income households. 

On the other hand, more low-income earners want to fulfil a dream in the future than higher earners. Overall, even more low-income households want to enjoy their lives in the here and now than put money aside for a rainy day. High earners take a completely different view: Among them, the proportion of "risk minimisers" is twice as high as the proportion of "dream fulfilers".

Chronic lack of time and worries about the future are influencing people's wishes for the coming year. The vast majority want an end to the daily stress rally and more time for individual and social needs. "Less instead of more" is the annual goal for many in 2016.

They are planning to postpone their careers further or at least press the pause button and forgo the pressure of leisure activities in favour of spending more time with friends or family. But Germans are also living up to their reputation as savers and forward planners. Despite favourable economic conditions, they are reluctant to spend money and prefer to be prepared for possible eventualities.