THE average adult will spend a total of five years and five months doing life admin – and we hate trawling through our emails and cleaning our homes most.
Researchers who polled 2,000 Brits found we typically spend 21 hours and 36 minutes a week doing work admin.
And if that isn't enough, we spend another eight hours and 48 minutes doing it in our personal lives too.
On average, Brits wade through 204 admin tasks at month – and we admit hating anything to do with spreadsheets.
Some 44 per cent have so much admin to do at work it eats into free time, while 82 per cent say mounting work admin leaves little time for chores like paying bills, taking the car to the garage or sorting out a will.
The study, commissioned by retail operations platform Brightpearl.com, found 36 per cent are 'overwhelmed' by admin, while 49 per cent simply can't stay on top of it.
And 37 per cent have even taken holiday leave in the hope of catching up.
Nick Shaw of Brightpearl said: "The amount of admin we have to deal with in all aspects of our lives is immense.
“And while we’re only too aware of all the bits and pieces we need to sort on a daily basis, the lifetime figure is staggering and really shows just how much it dominates both our home and work lives.
“Just imagine all the things you could get done if you didn’t have a seemingly endless amount of admin to get though.”
The study also found a quarter – 24 per cent – of those polled feel they are currently ‘trapped’ in ‘admin hell’ as a result of all the things they haven’t managed to get round to.
On average, they have six tedious tasks outstanding in their work and a further five in their personal lives.
Most hated work admin tasks
1. Filing away/clearing out emails
2. Filing away documents
3. Anything involving spreadsheets
4. Logging data
5. Reporting
6. Updating databases and documents
7. Financial administration
8. Completing tax returns
9. Tidying up your computer’s desktop
10. Completing performance review forms
Other detested work-related admin jobs include logging data, order management tasks, completing performance review forms, and completing tax returns.
As a result, 51 per cent of those surveyed would be ‘delighted’ if they never had to do any work-related admin ever again.
For 54 per cent, there really is no let-up, as researchers from OnePoll found that – even if they're not doing admin – it continues to play on their mind.
In fact, the average Brit will spend three hours and five minutes a week just thinking about all the admin they need to finish.
A spokesman for Brightpearl added: "The research shows that many of those polled see admin as a burden – and something they could do without.
“But help is out there – especially when it comes to the work-admin, which as the study found, is the sort of admin we spend most of our time trying to get done.
“People don’t realise this, but many repeatable, and frankly, boring work tasks can be automated – meaning workers can get on with other key aspects of their jobs.”
Most hated personal admin tasks
1. Cleaning
2. Sorting out insurance renewals
3. Ringing up utility companies to renegotiate a better price (e.g. broadband, premium TV services)
4. Household DIY/maintenance
5. Paying bills e.g. utility bills
6. Managing your finances
7. Tax returns
8. Returning internet orders
9. Booking doctor/dentist appointments
10. Getting home improvement quotes
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