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More Than Half of Women Say They're Too Busy to Take Time for Themselves

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Personal growth expert Barbara De Angelis, Ph.D., Urges Women to 'Reclaim Their Me Time' This Summer and Shares Her Five Best Strategies

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J., July 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Aren't these supposed to be the lazy days of summer? For many women, summertime living is anything but easy. There's work, activities for out-of-school kids, vacation planning, increased family and friend commitments, and countless other obligations. It's enough to make anyone feel burned out!

A national survey commissioned by DOVE(R) Chocolate shows that many women don't get the "me time" they crave and need. Only about one-quarter of women (26 percent) feel they have enough time to do something special just for themselves. Among all women, more than one-third (37 percent) say they rarely or never make time to do something special just for themselves. Add kids into the mix, and the rarity for moms to take personal "me time" increases to 46 percent.

"Hearing about this survey, I was not surprised that so many women feel they can't find me-time moments," says Barbara De Angelis, Ph.D., personal growth expert and the best-selling author of How Did I Get Here? Finding Your Way to Renewed Hope & Happiness When Life and Love Take Unexpected Turns. "Summertime can be busier than we think and it's important that women recognize the warning signs of summer burn out -- important not only for themselves, but also for the people around them."

How to Reclaim Your "Me Time"

Dr. De Angelis offers her top five ways women can reclaim their precious "me time" before crazy summer schedules get the best of them:

* Take a three-minute vacation: Listen to your favorite song on your MP3
player before going on to your next task. It's an easy way to relax and
regain a sense of self.

* Enjoy small luxuries: Let a piece of DOVE(R) Chocolate melt in your
mouth and experience a momentary escape. Slowly unwrap the chocolate
and read the inspiring "Promise" message inside, such as "Count the
Stars" and "Find Your Passion." You can always feel good about your
indulgence with just 45 calories per piece.

* Schedule a meeting with yourself: Don't try to fit in time for you
after everything else is done. Mark 30 minutes of "me time" on your
calendar, just as you would any other meeting -- and don't break the
appointment.

* Savor quality time with your family and friends: Use your camera phone
to capture great moments to recall when you start feeling stressed about
other things.

* Give you and your kids a vacation from each other: Ask a friend with
kids to baby-sit, and return the favor on another day. Or hire a
babysitter for the afternoon and do your errands alone, rather than
having the kids in tow.

"Research shows that when women take care of themselves, it can benefit not only their own well-being, but also their families and close friends," De Angelis added. "Many women know this but, of course, putting it into practice is the challenge."

DOVE(R) Chocolate "Me Time" Survey Highlights
The survey of women also shows that:

* They're busy, not guilty: More than half (51 percent) of women say
they're too busy to make more time for themselves. But only 10 percent
say they don't make more time for themselves because it would be
selfish.

* Generation Xers are hardly slackers: More than anyone else, women aged
30-41 say they're too busy to make more time for themselves (72
percent).

* The kids, the dog, and even the husband get more me-time moments: Women
with children tend to claim their kids get the most alone time, followed
by the family pet(s), then their husband or partner. Only 11 percent of
moms say they get the most alone time in the family.

* What is it about the West? Women in the West are far more likely than
women in other regions to say they rarely make time to do something
special for themselves (41 percent).

DOVE(R) Chocolate Adds to Its Portfolio

DOVE(R) Chocolate commissioned its National "Me Time" Survey in conjunction with three new products arriving on supermarket and convenience store shelves this summer, each perfect for a "me time" moment: DOVE(R) Chocolate Covered Almonds in Milk Chocolate or Dark Chocolate; DOVE(R) Sugar Free Chocolate in Mint Creme, Raspberry Creme or Chocolate Creme; and 3.5 ounce DOVE(R) Chocolate Bars in Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, or Milk Chocolate with Almonds. As with all DOVE(R) products, these latest additions feature the best quality chocolate, with a silky smooth, rich taste and texture, making them the ultimate indulgent treat.

About DOVE(R)

DOVE(R), the No. 1 premium everyday chocolate in the United States, dates back to the mid-1950s, to a small candy store on Chicago's South Side, where Leo Stefanos spent months developing his own ice cream treat. Before long, the DOVEBAR(R) was the talk of the neighborhood. DOVE(R) Chocolate is still known for delivering the best quality chocolate with a silky smooth, rich taste and texture. The DOVE(R) Company portfolio includes DOVE(R) Chocolate Bars and Miniatures, NEW DOVE(R) Sugar Free Chocolate, NEW DOVE(R) Chocolate Covered Almonds, DOVE(R) Cookies, DOVE(R) Pint Ice Cream, DOVEBAR(R) Ice Cream Bars, and DOVE(R) Chocolate Seasonal Products. Detailed product information, and more "Me Time" findings and tips are available online at http://www.dovechocolate.com/.

About Masterfoods USA

Masterfoods USA, the United States food, snack and petcare operations of Mars, Incorporated, is one of the world's leading food manufacturers. With more than $5 billion in annual sales, the combined food, snack and petcare segments are a symbol of excellence for quality brands. Headquartered in Hackettstown, NJ, Masterfoods USA employs more than 7,000 associates in the United States, with 15 manufacturing facilities nationwide. The company owns some of the world's favorite brands including M&M'S(R) Brand, SNICKERS(R) Brand, UNCLE BEN'S(R) Brand, PEDIGREE(R) Brand Food For Dogs, WHISKAS(R) Brand Food For Cats. For additional information, please visit MasterfoodsUSA online newsroom at http://www.masterfoodsnews.com/.

Methodology of the DOVE(R) Chocolate National 'Me Time' Survey: Telephone interviews with 1,011 American adults 18 years old and older were conducted May 31 through June 4 by ICR of Media, Penn. Of these, 503 interviews were conducted among women. The sample was weighed to provide a nationally representative and projectable estimate of the adult population aged 18 and older. Sampling error for both men and women is +/- 3 percent at the 95 percent level of confidence. For the questions asked of women only, the sampling error is +/- 4 percent at the 95 percent level of confidence. For more information on the survey results, please contact Claire Buxton at (212) 601-8131 or cbuxton@porternovelli.com.