Wednesday 13 September 2017
Cycle to Work Day 2017
The number of cycle commuters in the UK has risen significantly in recent years—over 90,000 more people cycle currently to work than in 2001
New research reveals over a third (35%) of the working population surveyed in the UK have less than an hour of daily ‘me time’ during the working week, with the majority finding up to just an hour and a half to themselves after work, commuting, and other responsibilities like childcare and cleaning are taken care of. More than one in three (39%) surveyed say that this is even less time than they had five years ago.
The data, released today by Cyclescheme for Cycle to Work Day 2017, shows that the British workers surveyed are increasingly time poor, with almost half (46%) regularly working more than their contracted hours. When feeling pressed for time, 37% of the working Brits surveyed admit that exercise is the first activity to be dropped from their routines, while 26% ditched home cooking for convenience food. Lack of time for leisure activities has a potentially negative impact on performance at work, with two thirds (66%) of those surveyed agreeing that more downtime would help make them more productive and focused at work.
Cycling to work is a solution that large numbers of UK workers are turning to because of the potential it offers to help regain personal time during the working week, and because it aligns health and wellbeing goals. The number of cycle commuters has risen significantly in recent years—over 90,000 more people cycle currently to work than in 2001, according to Cycling UK.
Chris Boardman, Cycle to Work Day Ambassador, said:
“Cycling to and from work (or in my case, the station 5 miles away) ticks all the boxes: I get to clear my head after work, my exercise is taken care of without thinking about it, which in turn leaves my evening free for family and leisure. It might be healthy, cost-free transport but more than that, it gives me a better life balance in a way that’s sustainable.”
According to Cyclescheme’s research, if given an extra hour each day of ‘me time’, the top activities that surveyed Brits would engage in would be reading for pleasure (34%) and exercise (32%), followed by spending more time with their families and partners (28%). The findings also suggest that workers in the UK are so eager for a little more free time that many (46%) would choose an extra week’s holiday over an extra week’s pay.
This Cycle to Work Day joint organisers, Cyclescheme and Halfords, are calling on the public to regain time during their working day by cycling to work, helping fit exercise in to an essential activity and creating time for other leisure activities and interests and more ‘me time.”
Adrian Warren, Business Operations Director at Cyclescheme, said:
“We can’t let our dedication to our jobs cost us our health and wellbeing. Making space for ‘me time’ is essential during the working week. Cycling to work is a simple way to get more exercise which is shown to make people happier and more productive at work.”
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