The average Brit now puts in more than three weeks of overtime a year - by answering calls and emails at home. Researchers have found that nine out of ten of us continue working when we have left the office - typically for a total of three hours and 31 minutes each week. That's a total of 15 hours a month or 183 hours a year - the equivalent of 23 extra working days a year.
While one in two do it simply to stay organised, one in five do it because they want to impress the boss; more than one in three even reply to work emails in bed to keep on top of things.
Andy Jacques, general manager of mobile security software company Good Technology, which commissioned the research, said:
''There was a time when it was difficult to continue working outside of the office without carrying a laptop to access the corporate email system, but with today's 'always on' society, Brits are pretty much working, or at least thinking about work, from the moment they wake up until the moment they fall asleep at the end of the day.
''Mobile phones, especially smartphones and tablets, have made it much easier to be able to work on the move, and it's helping people choose when and where to get things done.
''At the school gate, on the train or in the queue at the coffee shop, this new wave of connected technology is enabling people to be more productive than ever before, and stay on top of things with greater ease and less time."
The study of 1,000 UK workers also found 66 per cent of people check their work emails before 7am and 15 per cent still respond to work email after 10pm, with 65 per cent admitting they don't go to sleep until they've had a final check of work emails.
Another 61 per cent get up-to-date with their emails on their commute, while 33 per cent can't get through Saturday morning without checking their inbox.
Almost three in ten workers even check work emails while sat at the dinner table, with 16 per cent actually replying to them during their evening meal.
Researchers also found that 38 per cent believe their job would now be impossible without mobile access to work email.
42 per cent of workers have consolidated their devices and use the same phone for personal and work use - with just 15 per cent of people still carrying separate personal and work phones.
Andy Jacques from Good Technology added:
''Today, many businesses are allowing employees to use their personal phones for work.
''In fact, 42 per cent of the people we surveyed are using the same phone for work and personal transactions, which means that they are now carrying around not only sensitive corporate information, but irreplaceable personal data on the same device.
''This research clearly highlights just how important the smartphone is becoming to the British workforce.
''Workers are increasingly expecting to be able to access company email wherever they are, on whatever device they choose and at any time.''
