Eight in 10 workers (82%) fail to do important things in their home lives every week as work takes over personal time.
At a time of increasing concern over the health of the nation, exercise (45%) and cooking from scratch (34%) are two of the key activities that fall to the bottom of the ?to do’ list, according to new research from American Express Insurance Services.
Relaxing at the end of a long day, also important for health, is suffering too as are personal relationships. One in four people admit to not spending enough time with their partner or children, and 39% struggle to keep in touch with friends and relatives.
What Busy Brits drop from the ?to do’ list:
??1. Exercise – 45%
??2. Cleaning/tidying up at home – 40%
??3. Having “me time” at end of day – 39%
??4. Keeping in touch with friends and relatives – 39%
??5. Cooking a meal from scratch – 34%
??6. Getting a haircut – 31%
??7. Fixing a dentist appointment – 26%
??8. Sorting out finances/checking statements – 27%
??9. Planning or researching a holiday – 24%
??10. Having quality time with my partner/kids – 25%
Women letting work take over
Half of women are too busy to have ?me time’ during the day, compared to just 29% of men. Women also believe their relationships with friends, family and partners suffer the most as a result of long working hours. Almost a third (30%) of women believe they miss out on spending quality time with their partner, while only one in five men (21%) think the same.
Keeping up appearances may also be difficult for working women, with 37% having to put off haircuts and sacrifice personal grooming after a long day at work, compared to 25% of men.
Effects on finances
Worryingly almost a third of Britons (30%) admit to not finding the time to research pension schemes and plan for their financial future, and at least one in four (27%) people cannot spare the time to check their bank statements.
Given the current economic climate, searching for the best deals has never been more important yet 13% of Brits do not have the time to renew their insurance cover and search for better deals. And 16% of people forget to pay their bills due to lack of time, possibly incurring penalties.
People in North East Scotland are most likely to make time for their home lives, with 68% managing to keep up with their weekly ?to do’ lists. In comparison, those in Yorkshire are most likely to have to drop tasks, with 86% struggling to make time for personal commitments.
