How much time do UK adults spend doing life admin?

‘Just imagine all the things you could get done if you didn’t have a seemingly endless amount of admin to get though’

Some adults said they often have so much admin to do that it eats into their free time (Getty Images)

The average adult will spend a total of five years and five months of their lives doing admin, according to a survey.

In total, 2,000 adults were polled and it was found they typically spend 21 hours and 36 minutes a week doing admin in their jobs.

On top of this, a further eight hours and 48 minutes is taken up with it in their personal lives.

On average, they’ll wade through 204 admin tasks at month - with ‘anything to do with spreadsheets’ and clearing out email inboxes among the most loathed.

For some, they have so much admin to do at work it ‘regularly’ eats into their ‘free’ time.

A majority said mounting work admin leaves them little time to take care of personal admin tasks like paying bills, taking the car to the garage or sorting out a will.

Commissioned by Brightpearl.com, a retail operations platform for brands and retailers, the study found 36 per cent are ‘overwhelmed’ by the amount of admin they have to do.

While others simply can’t stay on top of it.It has proven to be such an issue for 37 per cent that they have even resorted to taking annual leave in the hope of catching up.

Nick Shaw, of Brightpearl, said: “The amount of admin we have to deal with in all aspects of our lives is immense.

“And while we’re only too aware of all the bits and pieces we need to sort on a daily basis, the lifetime figure is staggering and really shows just how much it dominates both our home and work lives.

“Just imagine all the things you could get done if you didn’t have a seemingly endless amount of admin to get though.”

The survey also found several of those polled feel they are currently ‘trapped’ in ‘admin hell’ as a result of all the things they haven’t managed to get round to.

On average, they have six tedious tasks outstanding in their work and a further five in their personal lives.

Other detested work-related admin jobs include logging data, order management tasks, completing performance review forms, and completing tax returns.

While returning internet orders, managing finances and cleaning hardly have those polled chomping at the bit in their personal lives.

As a result, a majority would be ‘delighted’ if they never had to do any work-related admin ever again.

While others wished they could get some outside assistance in clearing their decks when it comes to admin.

For some, there really is no let-up though as the research, carried out through OnePoll, found even if they’re not doing admin it continues to play on their mind.

In fact, the average Briton will spend three hours and five minutes a week just thinking about all the admin they need to finish.

A spokesman for Brightpearl added: “The research shows that many of those polled see admin as a burden – and something they could do without.

“But help is out there – especially when it comes to the work-admin, which as the study found, is the sort of admin we spend most of our time trying to get done.

“People don’t realise this, but many repeatable, and frankly, boring work tasks can be automated - meaning workers can get on with other key aspects of their jobs.”

SWNS