Sundays are being cut short for UK workers due to thoughts shifting towards the Monday morning and the working week ahead, according to new research.

At approximately 16:22 on Sundays, thoughts turn to the working week ahead for many British workers. Whether you love or loathe your job, Monday mornings can be a thorn in the side after a good weekend, and are often the part of the week that people look forward to least.

Seventy-six per cent of Brits admitted that they have previously experienced the Mondays blues. Those working in accountancy and banking were seen to be the least inspired about going to work on Monday mornings, with 83 per cent stating that they find it difficult to pull themselves out of bed when the alarm bells ring.

The five sectors that admitted to dreading Mondays the most include:

Accountancy and banking (83 per cent)
Recruitment/HR (78 per cent)
Law (78 per cent)
Healthcare (76 per cent)
Property and construction (75 per cent)

Not all industries experience the same feelings for Mondays, however – employees in other fields of work tended to have a far more enthusiastic approach to the start of the working week.

Workers from the leisure, sport and tourism industry were most positive about Mondays – only 50 per cent of them said they had experienced Monday blues. This was followed by Brits employed in creative arts and design (61 per cent) teaching and education (66 per cent) and IT workers (71 per cent).

For those people who are least inspired about going to work on Monday, many offset negative thoughts of Monday morning and ensure that their weekend enjoyment lasts a little longer through a variety of coping mechanisms – popular remedies include: having a bath; tucking into chocolate; and unwinding with a Sunday night movie with loved ones.

The research by Bestinvest, a leading online investment service, also calculated the number of Mondays that the average UK worker would have to endure until retirement age.

The findings make bleak reading for 20-year olds in particular, who have to work almost six full years’ worth of Mondays until their state pensions.

Head of digital at Bestinvest, Mark Welfare, comments, ‘Mondays can often be something we aren’t always up for, but at the end of the day, it’s something we all need to do – whether it’s to put a roof over your heads, supporting your kids and family, or to help you lead an enjoyable lifestyle.

‘Clearly people working within the sports and leisure, creative, and teaching sectors found their work much more enjoyable and rewarding, and would have less of a need to take measure to cope with Mondays.

‘Looking at the number of Mondays people have to work until they reach the current pension age can be quite bleak reading for some, however it offers plenty of opportunities to plan for the future.

‘At Bestinvest we are firm believers in taking control of your own retirement – we believe that with proper planning and the right pension, you can stop working when you want to and enjoy the retirement lifestyle that you want and deserve.’