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Working smarter not harder - 7 in 10 Brits squeeze in chores when working from home

  • Revealed: the top ten tasks Brits do the most when working from home
  • Seven in ten (71%) who work from home admit they do household chores during their working day, with a quarter (25%) of Brits dedicating more than 24 hours to them each month overall
  • Having a boogie (38%), belting out a favourite tune (24%) and pottering around to a podcast (20%) are top ways to make mundane tasks more enjoyable
  • More than seven in ten (72%) smart meter owners agree that having one gives them greater visibility of their energy usage and helps them to be more energy efficient

New research has found that seven in ten (71%) Brits who work from home admit they fit in household chores during the working day.

A study of 2,000 people revealed the top ten household tasks Brits do the most when working from home, with laundry (43%), vacuuming (29%) and tidying surfaces (28%) making the list.

But with more people being encouraged back to the office, meaning less time at home, chores could be put on hold until after the evening commute.

The research, commissioned by Smart Energy GB, shows that those running their household are still getting stuck into their spring spruce-ups, with a quarter (25%) squeezing in more than 24 hours of household tasks each month.

And many have been embracing fun ways to make the mundane or time-consuming tasks more enjoyable. Having a boogie (38%) and belting out a favourite tune (24%) are just a couple of methods some use, while one in five (20%) delve into a podcast.

When it comes to the chores that nobody wants to do, cleaning the windows (23%) and clearing out the kitchen cupboards (19%) are amongst the least favourite across the country.

However, not everyone is put off by household tasks. In the city of Aberdeen, 18 per cent of people claim to enjoy all of them, considerably more than anywhere else in Britain and 14 per cent more than London.

Managing a to-do list can be an entire job on its own, so finding ways to reduce it could provide a much-needed benefit for some. For those who say they have a smart meter at home, sending meter readings is one less task they need to worry about.

Getting a smart meter installed is an easy way to reduce household admin and take ‘send meter readings’ off the to-do list. A smart meter offers greater predictability and accuracy when it comes to energy bills, as it sends meter readings to your energy supplier automatically so they have the information to send you accurate bills, rather than estimates.

In the winter, when energy bills are traditionally highest, a third (33%) consider managing their household energy use the most important task.

And when it comes to spring and summer, gardening (45%), doing the laundry (31%) and cleaning the windows (31%) climb to the top of households’ to-do list. However, 14 per cent still say they will make managing energy use a top priority during the warmer months.

Many people also plan to continue using energy-saving hacks, with four in ten (40%) saying they will use their clothes airer or dry their laundry outside, instead of using their tumble dryer, showing the ongoing popularity of energy saving measures at home.

While some plan on putting those handy hacks to the test this spring and summer, those with a smart meter installed can see how much energy they’re using in near-real time via a handy in-home display. And more than seven in ten (72%) agree that it gives them greater visibility over their energy usage and helps them to be more energy efficient.

 Victoria Bacon, director at Smart Energy GB, said:

“As we go from spring to summer it’s great to see households getting motivated for their seasonal spruce-ups . It’s also encouraging to see people are still thinking about how to manage their energy usage, even as we go into the spring and summer.

“A smart meter can help make life easier for people, especially for those who want to track their energy use and don’t want the hassle of having to submit manual meter readings.

“With the help of the in-home display and user-friendly apps, households can track how much energy they’re using in near real-time. Smart meters are available at no extra cost from your energy supplier.”

 

Top 10 tasks Brits do the most when working from home:

 

  1. Doing the laundry (43%)
  2. Vacuuming (29%)
  3. Tidying surfaces (28%)
  4. Wiping down surfaces (25%)
  5. Dusting (22%)
  6. Mopping (18%)
  7. Batch cooking meals (16%)
  8. Managing household energy use (15%)
  9. Managing the household budget (15%)
  10. Clearing out the wardrobe (14%)