Sort your life round work not work round your life - 30 August 2006
Munching at lunchtime is a thing of the past for Britain’s workers as they forgo a lunch break in order to sort out their lives. New research from the UK’s local search engine Yell.com shows that almost half (45%) Statistics taken from poll of 558 UK office workers conducted for Yell.com by ICM in July 2006 of office workers are trading in a break from their desk in favour of sorting the plumber, organising a holiday or booking that all important doctor’s appointment.Yell.com traffic data also shows strong usage for classifications such as travel agents during the working day, and a larger proportion of searches for banks over the lunchtime period. Such trends suggest how British office workers are trying to juggle their personal needs around the working day.
The study into internet usage of office workers does, however, suggest that as we cram more into our working day, many of us simply don’t have the time to do the small things that keep our everyday lives ticking over:
- Half (50%) admit to never booking dentist and doctor appointments
- 40% let finances suffer leaving online banking until another time
- Almost half (46%) don’t buy birthday gifts for friends and family
For one in five (19%) workers this lack of work/ life control causes stress levels to reach fever pitch. And even those logging on to take care of personal errands during office hours don’t escape worry-free:
- 13% feel guilty in case the boss finds out
- 11% worry colleagues will think they’re skiving
And so, to alleviate some of the time pressure on today’s office workers, Yell.com is today launching www.lifehour.com.
Lifehour.com is a dedicated one stop shop to help employees quickly and easily find links to the personal businesses and services they need - such as a plumber, an estate agent or a restaurant. The website also includes hints and tips on managing your life around a hectic work schedule from celebrity life coach Suzy Greaves.
Suzy Greaves commented: “People often put chores off, thinking there is simply not enough time to get things done which causes unnecessary stress when they try and fit things in outside of work. Just taking some time out to sort pressing tasks like finding a local plumber or booking appointments will mean you feel more in control of your life and less stressed.”
Eddie Cheng, president of Yell.com, said: “In a time poor society it’s inevitable for people to trade in a sit in the park to run a few personal errands. We hope www.lifehour.com will sit alongside Yell.com as an invaluable tool for getting these tasks done quicker.”
