Average American has ONLY four and a half hours of free time a week
Got a crucial task on your to-do list that you just can’t seem to find time for? You’re not alone. The average American is currently putting off 14 things on their to-do list, according to new research.
The new statistic emerged in a new study of 2,000 Americans which found that over six in ten Americans are currently putting off basic administrative tasks such as cleaning, going to the bank, or even filing their taxes because they just don’t have the time.
According to the results of the study, Americans are so busy and on-the-go, they only have four hours and 26 minutes of free time a week, with four in ten Americans saying they actually have less.
The survey, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of H&R Block, also revealed that 59 percent of Americans say keeping their life organized with everything they have going on right now is a big struggle.
Even though the average American is currently putting off 14 things, over one in five Americans (21 percent) say they are actually putting off 20 or more tasks.
So what are they collectively putting off? Cleaning topped the list with nearly half of the respondents (48 percent) saying they were currently postponing it.
Another four in ten said they had some household maintenance and repair they couldn’t squeeze in, with one in three saying they can’t even find the time to do some shopping.
Over one in four (27 percent) are also currently trying to find time to make a doctor appointment.
Tax season is upon us ,and filing taxes may very well be the mother of all life admin tasks. Of the Americans who said they’re filing their own taxes this year, half said they’re too busy for it.
“Getting the necessary information together is key. Missing tax documents can lead to missing out on entitled credits and deductions,” said Karen Orosco, Senior Vice President at H&R Block. “Anyone needing a reminder of what they should pull together can check their documents against a tax prep checklist like the one H&R Block has online. Once someone has all their documents together, there’s no reason to wait to file.”
Tax season being here means Americans are expecting a little income boost pretty soon, as the vast majority of those polled are expecting some kind of refund this year.
Nearly half of Americans (44 percent) polled they plan on buying themselves a little treat this year with their annual bonus.
So what are Americans buying? The study asked and found a cornucopia of responses. Numbering among the list was scuba gear, a vacuum cleaner, a steak dinner, trip to Niagara Falls, and even a new car.
How do you plan on spending your refund this year?
“According to the survey, a lot of Americans are letting things slide around the house simply because they’re so busy,” said Orosco. “Our new Tax Pro Go service lets consumers just securely upload their documents online and get paired with a tax pro who takes care of the rest. There’s no need to even leave the house.”
10 LIFE ADMIN TASKS AMERICANS ARE CURRENTLY PUTTING OFF:
- Doing odd jobs around the house 37%
- Going for medical check-ups 36%
- Sorting out cabinets/spring cleaning 34%
- Paying bills 33%
- Sorting paperwork 32%
- Taking unwanted items to the store or selling them online 30%
- Fixing or mending items/clothing 30%
- Going for a haircut 30%
- Catching up with friends 29%
- Budget planning/reviewing your finances 29%
10 TREATS AMERICANS SAY THEY’LL BUY THEMSELVES WITH THEIR TAX REFUND:
- Motorcycle tires
- Playstation 4
- Trip to casino
- Niagara Falls trip
- A party
- Lawnmower
- Freedom from credit card companies
- Pizza
- Scooter
- Scuba gear
>> Download the video and infographic for this research story <<
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