Work-life balancing act suits North

Work-life balance seems easier to achieve in Northern Ireland than in the Republic, judging by the results of a survey released yesterday.

Over half of adults working in the Republic are struggling to balance the demands of work and home, compared to a third in the North, according to the report.

The Irish Lifestyles 2006 Work-Life Balance report by Mintel Ireland studied the lifestyles of over 2,000 people throughout Ireland and focused on how men and women are coping with the demands of family and job.

It found that more workers in the North are happy with their work-life balance than their counterparts in the Republic.

One in five people surveyed complained of being overworked. A third in the Republic and a fifth in the North felt they were unfulfilled.

Those who described themselves as being balanced and comfortable were the most successful at separating work and home life, enjoyed a comfortable standard of living and used their money for holidays and saving. They generally wanted less than other groups surveyed.

People in the struggling group were most likely to spend their money on status symbols, often compensating for a "lack of time" by purchasing luxuries.

However, despite common perceptions, people are not working longer hours. The average working week has remained relatively unchanged since 1998, with men throughout the country working 41 hours, with women in the North working 38 hours and 32 hours in the Republic. The type of work people are doing has changed, with an increase in responsibility leading to more stress, sometimes spilling over into people's private lives.

The report found that the average marrying age has increased to 32 for men in the North and to 34 for those in the Republic; women marry on average at the age of 30 in the North and 31 south of the Border. As a result of later marriages, people are experiencing a longer "kidulthood", with up to 65 per cent of 20- to 25-year-old men still living with their parents.

A third of working women believe that more "me-time" would improve their lives and 80 per cent of fathers want to spend more time with their young children.

However, if forced to choose, 40 per cent of men would opt for career progression over more family time.

Eamonn Finn, author of the report, said that the result was not surprising, "especially as men derive much of their self-image from their working life and society still places emphasis on men to provide rather than care".

The report also found that church attendance is down in the North but on the increase in the South, going up by 5.6 per cent.

Watching television has dropped from the top spot in terms of leisure pursuits in the Republic, with active pastimes such as taking part in sport and going on holiday showing an increase.

However, adults in the North still choose watching television as their favourite leisure activity.

There has been a general decline in visits to pubs, but an increase in trips to restaurants and coffee shops. Taking a foreign holiday was the spending priority for men and women on both sides of the Border.