The average adult spends the equivalent of one week every year carrying out life admin tasks, research has revealed. Experts calculated the typical adult dedicates three hours a week to sorting family admin such as renewing insurances, paying credit card bills, switching utility companies and renewing passports.
The study revealed MOT’ing the car was named as the most hated job, followed by applying for a new passport and sorting out a new home insurance policy.
As many as 37% of us admit we struggle to keep up with everything, and often fail to complete everything by the required date.
The poll of 2,000 adults also found over a third of us ‘put off’ these jobs because we don’t have enough time and one in two can’t face dealing with call centres.
Steve Griffiths of Swinton Insurance, which carried out the study, said:
"We lead such busy lives it can be a struggle to keep on top of everything.
"It can throw you in to a panic when you’re reminded that insurance is due for renewal or there has been a bill you forgot about.
"Owning a house and car alone does result in lots of necessary correspondence and we can all forget things from time to time.
"Added to that children, pets, schools, house repairs and doctors’ appointments and it can all mount up".
The research found call centres aren’t the only bone of contention – 28% of people loath having to complete online forms, with top complaints being ‘they take too long’ and ‘the internet crashing’.
The majority of respondents said it was easiest to carry out admin tasks online, although a quarter opted for the phone.
Though one in 12 insisted on dealing with companies face to face preferring to visit a branch, shop or office.
Other causes for stress when conducting family administration were having to search high and low for the necessary documentation.
Not surprisingly, 39% of us have missed important deadlines.
Failing to MOT the car, sending off tax returns and renewing the house insurance were among the most likely things Brits will forget.
An organised 81% claim to have all their important documents filed – although 30% of those said everything still gets lost.
But when quizzed on their whereabouts, one in five had no idea where their birth certificate was and one in ten wouldn’t be able to easily locate their passport. Marriage certificates and driving licences were also documents that had gone astray in many British homes.
So keen to sort their affairs, three in ten Brits have taken time off work, with the average employee taking off one and a half days in a typical year.
MOST HATED ADMIN JOBS
- MOT’ing your car
- Renewing passports
- Renewing home insurance
- Changing utility companies
- Renewing car insurance
- Filing a tax return
- Filing paperwork/bills
- Taxing the car
- Making changes to a TV / phone package
- Doing a price comparison for utilities
- Booking dentist check-ups
- Applying for a new job
- Getting around to getting quotes from tradesman to do jobs
- Getting an eye-test
- Making an insurance claim
- Shred paperwork/bills
- Putting things on ebay to sell
- Booking in the car for a service
- Querying a mobile phone bill
- Changing addresses on driving licence
- Changing email addresses
- Clearing out old clothes and taking to charity shop
- Order repeat prescriptions
- Look in to a pension
- Cancelling old subscriptions
- Checking through bank statements
- Paying credit card bills
- Arrange/sort will
- Doing the online food shop / weekly food shop
- Paying in cheques
- Small DIY tasks such as changing light bulbs
- Sorting old things for a car boot
- Updating your smart phone with the latest technology
- Booking booster injections for the family pets
- Renewing TV licence
- Print photos out
- Switching credit cards to low/0% interest rates
- Sending family birthday cards
- Change a will
- Taking the dog/cat to the vet for flea / worming treatment
- Changing mortgage companies / checking current rates
- Claiming PPI
- Booking a holiday
- Applying for vouchers / money off
- Getting a window –cleaner around
- Writing letters to the school
- Researching homework / school projects
- Kid’s injections
- Signing homework diaries
- Returning kid's library books
