A survey of 1,500 employed adults by LiveCareer found that 76% of U.K. workers handle personal tasks during working hours at least a few times a week, including 48% who do so daily. Most respondents say these activities help them stay productive, challenging the idea that time spent on personal responsibilities necessarily undermines work performance.
The survey also found that 86% of U.K. workers believe short personal breaks improve their productivity, while 11% say they make no difference and 3% believe they hurt it.
Household Chores and Errands Fill Workday Gaps
Household chores are the most common personal activity during working hours, reported by 54% of respondents. Personal errands follow at 51%, while 50% say they scroll through social media during the workday.
Despite the frequency of these activities, 71% of U.K. workers say they spend an hour or less on personal tasks during a typical workday. Another 19% spend between one and two hours, while 6% report spending more than two hours.
U.K. Workers Take Personal Breaks More Often Than European Peers
U.K. employees report handling personal tasks during working hours more frequently than workers in mainland Europe, where the survey covers Germany, Spain, France and Italy.
Nearly half of U.K. respondents, 48%, said they manage personal matters during work every day, compared with 27% of their European counterparts. U.K. workers are also more likely to believe these breaks improve productivity, at 86% versus 72% in mainland Europe.
The most common activity differs between the groups. While U.K. workers most often handle household chores, personal messaging leads among European respondents, at 43%.
