If you can’t pinpoint the flake in your friendship group, it’s likely that it is you. So, are you a Reliable Rita or a Flaky Florence?
This quiz will help you find out if you need to brush up on being a better bestie.
It comes after a poll of 2,000 adults revealed faking illness, family commitments and tiredness are the 20 most common excuses to dodge a social occasion.
The study revealed the lengths they take to get out of commitments, including saying they’re ill, having to work late and simply not having the time.
Others claim transport issues, poor weather or an ill child is preventing them from attending.
But while 59% claim they are often too tired to meet up with friends after work, 66% think it’s important to have a good work life balance.
And to ensure they stick to this work life balance, one in 10 prefer getting a taxi to events after work, with only four% opting for the tube.
TV life coach, Anna Williamson, who has teamed with FREENOW UK, said: “I urge people to get out of work on time and seize those precious hours in the evening to do something that makes them feel good.
“There will always be barriers and easy-to-make excuses but the more we overcome these, the better.
“Personally, my anxiety and panic on public transport can stop me from venturing into London to catch up with friends.
“I overcome this by always having my cab pre-booked in advance which gives me peace of mind and a convenient way to travel.
“Finding strategies to navigate around these barriers can make a significant difference in our ability to enjoy life and do the things we enjoy.”
The study also found social gatherings such as parties or dinners with friends (47%), work events (36%) and family gatherings (26%) are among the plans people are most likely to turn down.
But 28% can be left feeling guilty after using an excuse to get out of a social situation and 14% say cancelling plans can lead to feelings of loneliness or isolation.
Although 29% admitted that while they dread social events in the lead up to them, they usually end up enjoying themselves when they actually get there.
And despite many throwing around excuses to get themselves out of a social situation, 41% would be upset if the shoe were on the other foot.
It also emerged that 30% of people socialise with friends at least once a week and 65% do at least once a month while only 22% of people see their friends less than once a month.
More than a quarter (28%) blame this on spending most of their time at work, while 37% will work late for a few days a week or more.
Of the 12% who feel they have a bad work-life balance, 38% think their quality of sleep would improve if they made it better.
While 34% of those who took part in the study by OnePoll.com said the same about their stress levels.
Nour Rasamny, head of operations at FREENOW UK, added: “You can sometimes get into a rut of saying no to things.
“However, socialising and maintaining connections are essential for mental health and overall well-being.
“Our research highlights the importance of getting out and about in the city and making time for friends despite busy schedules, and we facilitate this by allowing users to pre-book a cab so they don’t need to worry about how they get where they need to be on time.”
1. Feeling unwell
2. A family commitment
3. Tiredness
4. A prior engagement they can’t miss
5. Trying to save money
6. An early start the following date
7. Just don’t feel like attending
8. Too much work to do
9. A lack of time
10. Needing to work late
11. An important appointment or errand
12. Recovering from a recent illness
13. Poor weather conditions
14. Visitors or guests at home
15. Double-booking themselves
16. Transport issues
17. They forgot about the event
18. Lack of convenient transport options/routes
19. A drained social battery
20. An ill child
