More than half of UK adults feel they need time off work to deal with day-to-day life admin, according to new research, with younger workers most likely to say the mental load is overwhelming.
A survey by comparison site Confused.com found that 53% of people had felt the need to take time off from their job to manage personal tasks such as renewing a passport or making a medical appointment. The figure was significantly higher for those aged 25 to 34, where more than four in five (83%) reported needing to use holiday leave to keep on top of admin.
Rising interest in the subject reflects the growing pressure of personal responsibilities on working lives. Online searches for “life admin checklist” and “life admin day” have both doubled compared with the same period last year.
Health, Money and Legal Tasks Most Often Delayed
More than seven in 10 respondents admitted to putting off personal admin tasks. The most commonly delayed was making medical appointments, cited by 36%, followed by cancelling subscriptions (32%) and writing or updating a will (25%).
Other commonly delayed tasks included renewing a passport (19%) and switching energy or broadband providers (19%).
Each age group had its own pattern of procrastination. People aged 25 to 34 were the most likely to delay renewing a passport (30%), while nearly a third (30%) of those aged 45 to 54 said they had put off writing or updating their will.
In contrast, older adults reported far fewer delays. Just 16% of over-65s said they felt the need to take time off for life admin. Nearly half (47%) of people in this age group said they had not delayed or forgotten any of the listed tasks.
Balancing Work with Life Outside It
Tom Vaughan, a life insurance expert at Confused.com, said the findings reflected the difficulties many people faced in balancing work with external responsibilities.
“It can be difficult to balance life admin amongst other everyday tasks, which is why it’s more important to prioritise tasks that will provide you with emotional and financial security,” he said.
“Anything that involves your health, finances, or your loved ones should always be at the top of your checklist, especially when it comes to things like life insurance. The tasks that take the most time, cause inconvenience, or require us to think about difficult situations are often the ones we’re most likely to avoid. That’s why it’s worth tackling them early.”
He added that many admin tasks are easier to deal with than people assume, and can often be done in small steps or through online resources. “If you’ve got a list to get through, try to get through one task a day rather than overwhelming yourself trying to do it all at once.”
Workplace Response
The findings may prompt employers to consider whether enough flexibility is built into working patterns to accommodate essential personal admin. While offering an extra day off for life admin is one possible solution, HR professionals are also exploring ways to reduce the friction between personal and professional responsibilities more broadly.
Flexible hours, protected lunch breaks, and quiet afternoons for admin or deep work are all measures some companies have adopted to support work-life balance.
As Vaughan put it, “Many of the tasks that people often delay or forget tend to be quick and easy to sort.” But making time for them may require more understanding from managers and policymakers alike.