The average Brit is currently ‘putting off’ eight jobs – including painting a room, booking a dentist appointment and washing the car, a study revealed.
Clearing out old clothes, defrosting the freezer and changing, or even arranging a will are also among the jobs we need to do but keep putting off until a later date.
But while the average adult avoids doing something for almost five weeks, almost one in ten admit they have taken five years or more to get around to sorting it.
It also emerged ignoring a to-do list has led to many having arguments with a partner or facing bigger bills than if they had done something straight away.
A spokesperson for mouldable glue Sugru, which commissioned the research, said: ‘’Brits are leading increasingly busy lives, making it more difficult than ever to fit in all of the little jobs we need to do.
“It doesn’t help that many of the tasks on our to-do lists are things we’re putting off because we simply don’t know how to do them.
“Being too busy might be the main reason for putting something off, but it seems lots of the jobs we avoid are things which might seem too difficult or complicated, or perhaps we have to rely on other people to help with.”
The study, of 2,000 adults, found painting or re-painting a room in your house is the job we are most likely to put off, followed by touching up skirting boards or painting over marks on a wall, cleaning out old clothes, defrosting the freezer and filing paperwork and bills.
Arranging or changing a will came sixth, with booking a dentist appointment, sorting old belongings for a car boot, shredding old paperwork and getting an eye test completing the top ten.
DIY tasks also feature heavily with hanging a picture frame, changing a light bulb, sorting a squeaky door hinge or dripping tap and putting up shelves in the list of jobs we avoid doing.
Sorting squeaky floorboards, bleeding a radiator, unblocking a sink and changing a plug or fuse are also among the top 50.
Tasks which involve official paperwork such as changing or switching utility companies, applying for or renewing a passport, filing a tax return and changing names or addresses after moving house or getting married are often put off until they become urgent.
Our cars are also victims of our dithering with washing it, topping up the air in the tyres, water or oil levels, and getting it serviced all on the list.
Simply not having time is the most common reason for putting off jobs, followed by finding the jobs boring and needing someone to help you.
But almost one in five admit they often put things off because they don’t know what they are doing, while another 19 per cent can’t afford to get them done.
Avoiding a task has consequences for some though with 45 per cent of people admitting it simply led to a bigger task further down the line, while 42 per cent said putting things off caused arguments with their other half.
Another 42 per cent even faced an extra cost by not doing something straight away, with the average Brit believing putting off jobs has cost them £156.43 in the past year alone.
A spokesperson for Sugru added: ‘’There is nothing more satisfying or empowering than finally crossing off that job which you have put off for days, weeks or even months.
“Make some time, get the right tools and set to it!”
Top 50 jobs and tasks we are putting off
- Painting a room/your house
- Touching up/ painting over marks on your walls/skirting boards
- Clearing out old clothes
- Defrosting the freezer
- Filing paperwork/bills
- Sorting/changing your will
- Booking a dentist appointment
- Sorting old things for a car boot or to put on eBay
- Shred paperwork/bills
- Getting an eye-test
- Washing the car
- Printing photos out
- Downloading photos from your phone/tablet to a PC or hard drive
- Putting items into the loft/getting things down from the loft
- Cutting the grass
- Hanging a picture frame
- Changing a light bulb
- Making changes to a TV/ phone package
- Applying for a new job
- Sorting a squeaky door hinge
- Getting quotes from tradesman to do jobs
- Fixing a dripping tap
- Putting up some shelves
- Getting a window cleaner round
- Changing/switching utility companies
- Putting air in the tyres of your car
- Servicing your car
- Renewing/applying for passports
- Booking a holiday
- Updating your smart phone/tablet/PC with the latest software
- Cancelling old subscriptions/direct debits
- Filing a tax return
- Sorting squeaky floorboards
- Changing names or addresses after moving house or getting married
- Topping up the water/oil on your car
- Renewing your home/contents insurance
- Bleeding a radiator
- Switching credit cards to low/ 0% interest rates
- Looking into/arranging a pension
- Unblocking a sink
- Paying in a cheque
- Claiming PPI
- Renewing car insurance
- Putting your child’s name in their school uniform
- Changing your email address
- Changing a plug/fuse
- Returning kids library books
- Changing mortgage companies/checking current rates
- Making an insurance claim
- Cleaning the oven
