We may have the same 24 hours as Beyonce, but she isn't on hold to her GP surgery

Is 'Life Admin Leave' the next big benefit for UK employees?

In a world where we all have the same 24 hours as Beyonce, the reality is that not everyone enjoys the same luxury of time. The demands of daily life, often referred to as "life admin," can eat into our precious moments outside of work.

This has prompted a growing conversation around the concept of "Life Admin Leave" – a workplace benefit that aims to level the playing field by offering employees dedicated time to tackle personal tasks.

But why is this benefit gathering traction, and who stands to benefit the most?

Defining 'Life Admin Leave'

The concept of "Life Admin Leave" gained recognition in LinkedIn new when Ash Jones , the Founder of Great Influence , introduced the idea at his company.

In a LinkedIn post , he shared how his company implemented a "Life Admin Half-Day," granting their team half a day off once a month, fully paid.

The rule was simple: employees had to use this time to address all the personal tasks they'd been putting off, whether it was scheduling a dentist appointment, cleaning their house, or sending out parcels.

As Ash Jones says, "the last thing anyone wants to do on the weekend is life admin", yet tackling these tasks is crucial for guilt-free downtime.

It was a seemingly small idea with a massive impact.

Levelling the Playing Field

One of the most profound implications of "Life Admin Leave" is its potential to address disparities in life admin responsibilities. While some individuals can outsource or delegate their life admin tasks, many others, particularly those in lower-income brackets, do not have this privilege. At one end of the spectrum this privilege might involve being able to streamline grocery shopping, not needing to maximising every opportunity for discounts and offers. For others it might be having the option to get public transport instead of walking to work, being able to pay for nursery fees or after school clubs, having a cleaner, buying a coffee on the way to work etc. All the way up to those who have a whole team to manage nearly every aspect of their lives, effectively "buying" time.

This translates to a direct correlation between one's income and the hours they have in a day.

As we ponder that "we have the same 24 hours as Beyonce", we must remember that her resources afford her an extended day – a team to assist her with every facet of life admin.

In stark contrast, many of us are stuck juggling life admin tasks alongside our already busy schedules, often sacrificing precious leisure time. Or feeling guilty when we don't. Not a weekend goes by when I don't mentally tell myself off for not getting round to selling the box of wedding crockery and fake candles in the loft. . .

Time to Unburden and Recharge

The consequences of not addressing life admin needs during workdays are substantial. This backlog leads to weekends cluttered with mundane tasks, making it challenging to genuinely rest and recharge. The persistent feeling of guilt for leaving things incomplete, even when some tasks are unrealistic, adds to the burden.

Increasingly, individuals are taking days or even weeks off from work just to catch up on life admin tasks. However, this "time off tax" creates a cycle where time away from work is immediately consumed by life admin responsibilities, preventing individuals from truly enjoying their leisure time.

The Gender Disparity

The burden of life admin disproportionately falls on women. Kate Mangino , a Gender Expert, highlights that women in different-sex relationships perform approximately 65% of the physical household work.

"Routine chores, such as cooking and cleaning, often fall on women, while intermittent tasks are more likely to be taken care of by men. The to-do list for unpaid female labour is relentless, as it encompasses both routine and cognitive tasks like remembering birthdays and organizing playdates. This disproportionate burden on women can be physically and emotionally exhausting."

Time Equals Opportunity

In a world where we all have the same 24 hours, it's clear that not everyone starts with an equal opportunity to make the most of those hours. "Life Admin Leave" is a way that we could potentially address this disparity, offering all employees a chance to catch up on personal tasks and free up valuable leisure time.

By levelling the playing field, we can empower everyone to make the most of their moments outside of work. And potentially then become more productive at work too.

It's not just a perk; it's a path to a more equitable, efficient, and satisfying work-life balance for all.

Beyonce may have the same 24 hours as all of us, but I bet she doesn't spend an hour on hold at 8am trying to get a GP appointment for her daughter. . .