Holidays on hold? The constant struggle to unplug from work

In today’s hyper-connected world, the line between work and personal life is becoming increasingly blurred. More and more people struggle to leave work at work, carrying those worries with them long after their shift is over and extending to their days off or holidays.

In some countries like Portugal, there are already laws in place to guarantee the right to rest of employees. The UK, however, is lagging behind. Although similar proposals have sparked this last year due to the upcoming general elections, there’s still nothing set in place to safeguard UK workers' time off.

To explore this issue, we conducted a survey of 1,250 employed UK adults to look into their ability to switch off from work and their working habits, identifying patterns based on age, and variations across regions.

The results revealed alarming trends in how Brits handle their work habits, shedding light on the state of work burnout and work-related anxiety that UK citizens are suffering, and how it spills over into their time off, holidays, and relationships. 

70% of Brits struggle to switch off after work

An average full-time employed UK citizen works around 7.5 hours a day. However, many carry work-related worries and stress long after working hours. In fact, 7 in 10 Brits struggle to switch off after work on a regular basis. Not only do they find it difficult to clear their heads, but 55% of adults also check their work emails and messages at least once a week out of working hours, and 17% do it every day.

This inability to disconnect has broader implications beyond just mental fatigue. Studies show that practising a hobby or exercise after work has a direct positive impact on mental health. Yet, 62% of Brits report that their inability to switch off from work has prevented them from participating in these activities, with men being more likely to skip hobbies due to work burnout. 

“When we've had a difficult day, it may feel like we want to preserve energy by taking a night off from hobbies and physical activity, but it can have the opposite effect. Hobbies and physical activities release the brain's 'happy chemicals,' such as endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. These chemicals help reduce stress and boost mood, allowing us to switch off from work-related worries more effectively” says Joanna Buckland, counsellor, and founder of WellBe Link.

Work worries follow Brits on days off and holidays

Even during their days off, a whopping 84% of Brits can’t shake off work thoughts, as they think about it at least twice a day.

“We have become so accustomed to being contactable 24/7 that the boundaries have become blurred between our work life and our home life. This can make it hard for us to switch off, even when we are not meant to be working.” says Georgina Sturmer, Counsellor and MBACP.

Although holidays are meant to be relaxing and allow for unwinding, for 58% of Brits, it's not so easy to switch off completely. Despite their best efforts to disconnect, 55% still check work emails or messages at least once during a week-long holiday.

Not being able to fully disconnect has a direct toll on their holidays perception, with 64% admitting that work-related anxiety has negatively affected what should be an enjoyable and stress-free time, and will do so again this year.

Adding to the pressure is the obligation felt by 20% of Brits, who believe there's an unspoken expectation from their managers to be available for work-related matters even while on holiday.

Young Millennials, the most burnout in the nation

Brits aged 25 to 34 are the ones that have it worst in the UK, with a shocking 84% of them finding switching off after work a regular struggle.

It gets worse. Even long after their shift ends, over 80% of them check their work emails or messages, and 52% do it at least a few times a week.

During their days off, like weekends or bank holidays, work still manages to be very present in their minds. A whopping 90% of Brits aged between 25 to 34 think about work on their days off at least twice a day, distracting them from spending more quality time with themselves and their loved ones.

It’s no different during a week-long holiday. Despite 57% claiming it’s easy for them to switch off, 70% will still check work emails or messages at least once during that time.

 Unsurprisingly, 60% of Brits aged 25 to 34, shared that feeling stressed about work will ruin what should be a happy and relaxing time, which takes a big toll on their mental health.

Londoners struggle the most to switch off from work 

Londoners are the most burnout workers in the UK, with 3 in 4 struggling to switch off after work. They’re also the Brits that check their emails and messages out of working hours the most, with 85% checking them regularly outside of work. Moreover, hobbies and exercise after work also take a big hit, as 73% of Londoners skip them often due to their inability to switch off.

What’s more worrisome is that 92% of Londoners can’t stop thinking about work even on their weekly days off.

And when on a week-long holiday, 1 in 3 checks their work-related tasks and emails at least once. It’s no wonder then that almost 60% suffer from work-related anxiety while on holiday, the highest rate in Britain.

So what can we do? Experts share their tips to switch off

The experts Georgina Sturmer, counsellor and MBACP, Joanna Buckland, counsellor, and founder of WellBe Link, and Niloufar Esmaeilpour, MSc, RCC and SEP from Lotus Therapy, share some tips and best practices to properly disconnect after work, on our days off and during our holidays. 

1.Set and “end of work” ritual“

Try to reinforce a boundary between work and home by implementing an ‘end of work’ ritual. This might involve powering down a work laptop, taking a walk at the end of the work day, or jumping in the shower and changing our clothes.” says Georgina Sturmer.

Joanna Buckland digs deeper:

“One effective strategy is to organise your thoughts into actionable tasks that take less than 2 minutes to complete. Take a few minutes to jot down what's on your mind. Identify what is within your control and what isn't. For everything else, create a to-do list for the next day and note who can assist with issues beyond your control.

This process signals to your brain that everything is under control, reducing the need for constant reminders and repetitive thoughts”

2. Engage in hobbies and exercise

“Stressful thoughts drain our energy, lower our mood, and put our minds into overdrive, making it harder to switch off. Hobbies and physical activities release the brain's 'happy chemicals,' such as endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. These chemicals help reduce stress and boost mood, allowing us to switch off from work-related worries more effectively” adds Buckland.

“Two things that can help to participate in such activities are:

• Change Your Self-Talk: Your mind responds to what you tell it. Instead of thinking, "I'm too tired for this," replace it with, "This will boost my mood and energy." Associating activities with overall gain helps your body move from a procrastinated state to motivation.
• Adopt Mini-Habits: On days when your energy is too low for your usual hobby or physical activity, have smaller, manageable alternatives. For example, if you can't go for a run, take a gentle walk. If that feels too much, do a 5-minute stretch. These mini-habits keep you progressing towards your goals and prevent you from giving up altogether

By incorporating these strategies, you can better manage stress, improve your mood, and maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life”

3. Set boundaries while away

“To protect your holidays and prevent work-related stress from permeating this time of year, you must first establish these boundaries BEFORE your holiday time begins. Notify your workmates and clients about your unavailability and assign someone else to take care of the urgent things in your place.” says Niloufar Esmaeilpour.

Georgina Sturmer adds “Our devices have become a place where work and home life really do become mixed up. And this can mean that it can be difficult to enjoy our devices without becoming embroiled in work related stress or messages. Some of us will gladly switch off and totally disconnect from work for our whole holiday. Others are more likely to be able to relax if they do a quick email check each day. This illustrates the fact that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Consider what will really help you to relax, and try to stick with it”.

With summer holidays around the corner, it’s more important than ever to acknowledge the burnout problem that UK employed adults suffer, and to reflect on our own work habits. Building personal healthy routines to cope with it will be crucial, so we recommend following the experts advice and including anxiety support supplements, as they might help to relieve the work stress and anxiety symptoms.

Methodology

Using survey platform OnePoll, Naturecan has surveyed 1,250 employed Brits above 18 years old, and across all UK regions to assess their work habits and their ability to switch off from work during their time off, such as weekly days off and week-long holidays. Then, Naturecan has contacted mental health experts to provide insights on how to unwind during the time off. 

Why choose Naturecan?