One third of us will do homework this weekend

And this button means that my boss knows I'm still working at midnight
And this button means that my boss knows I'm still working at midnight

One third of UK residents will work over the Bank Holiday weekend, with research showing that many of us will take a work laptop or BlackBerry with us to keep in touch while we are at home.

The current financial situation means that even less of us are prepared to put a clear divider between home time and work time, fearing that we could find ourselves out of work if we switch off.

One third of those surveyed admitted to working regularly when they should be at leisure, the same admitted to taking a BlackBerry or work laptop home to put in a few more hours at the grindstone and 25 per cent will work in the evenings.

Recession

"Recession fears and job worries mean staff are reluctant to cut themselves off from their work," said Paul Callow, marketing director at Lexmark UK who carried out the research.

"In the past, holidays have been a great opportunity for professionals to unwind and relax, but the current economic climate means people prefer to stay connected so they feel in control even when they're away from the office."

Slightly worryingly Lexmark seems delighted that this is the case, adding: "Having facilities at home, such as computers and printers, will mean you can complete last minute tasks and check up on emails before you go on holiday, so you'll leave for your break feeling on top of everything.

"Knowing you can touch base as soon as you're back will provide your employer with peace of mind while away, and will stop them feeling any need to check up on you out of hours."

Now that's the way to grab back some work/life balance!

Patrick Goss

Patrick Goss is the ex-Editor in Chief of TechRadar. Patrick was a passionate and experienced journalist, and he has been lucky enough to work on some of the finest online properties on the planet, building audiences everywhere and establishing himself at the forefront of digital content.  After a long stint as the boss at TechRadar, Patrick has now moved on to a role with Apple, where he is the Managing Editor for the App Store in the UK.