what British people really get up to on WFH Fridays

More people than ever are working from home, a change precipitated by the pandemic. Today, an estimated 41 per cent of workers in Great Britain tune into calls from home at least some of the time, a staggering 23.2 million people compared with 1.5 million people 10 years ago. This includes 13 per cent who work exclusively from home, and 28 per cent who follow a hybrid model.

While some major companies have pushed for the five-day return to the office – to the dissatisfaction or even resignation of some workers – most workplaces have retained some degree of flexibility, with Fridays at home being one of the most common post-pandemic practices.

Although most companies have accepted that some form of remote work is now a permanent fixture of the work landscape, it doesn’t stop managers harbouring mistrust over exactly what happens when their team takes their laptops home.

Shorts

One in eight mothers diagnosed with diabetes while pregnant

One in eight mothers in England is diagnosed with diabetes while pregnant, according to new analysis.

The estimate represents “a relative increase of 60 per cent in five years”, with a sharp rise in cases among women of colour and those living in deprived areas.

What is GD?

Gestational diabetes (GD) “should be recognised as a vulnerability in the healthcare system” that affects the wellbeing of mothers and babies, researchers said. GD happens when women cannot produce enough insulin while pregnant, leading to high blood sugar.

LIFESTYLE

4 min read

LIFESTYLE

4 min read

A closer look at the study

• While the condition usually disappears after birth, patients face a higher risk of going on to develop type 2 diabetes.
• It can also cause babies to grow larger than normal, cause low blood sugar in newborns and put women at higher risk of pre-eclampsia.
• A new study by researchers at the University of Edinburgh analysed five years of hospital care data in England.

Analysis

3 min read

What else the study found

• The rise in cases was highest among women of colour – 23 per cent among Asian women – as well as among those living in deprivation (14 per cent).
• Researchers said: “In 2022, two in every 21 white mothers received a diagnosis of gestational diabetes; for black mothers, the rate was two in every 13, and for Asian mothers, two in every nine.”
• These women also faced a higher risk of complications.

news

Why experts think autism spectrum may be ‘too broad’

The autism spectrum may have become “too broad” and risks misunderstanding the needs of patients, according to an expert in the condition.

Why is the spectrum ‘too broad’?

UCL Professor Dame Uta Frith, whose pioneering research in the 1960s and 70s laid the foundations for how autism is understood, said it was not always a “catch-all diagnosis” and the definition has “widened” to include people with milder traits.

She also warned that while social media and online communities have helped people share their experience, they may have “also spread simplified or misleading ideas”.

What is autism?

• Autism is a type of neurodivergence which affects the way people communicate and experience the world.
• It can also affect thinking, learning, attention, and the response to sounds, smells, tastes and light.
• Some autistic people may have learning disabilities, while others may have above average intelligence.

A ‘drive for inclusion’ could be causing cases to rise

It is estimated that around one million people in the UK have autism, with roughly 240,000 on NHS waiting lists for an assessment.

In her new essay, published in the journal Psychological Medicine, Frith suggests drivers for the rise in cases could be a “desire for inclusion”, as well as a reliance on patients self-reporting symptoms.

EDUCATION

5 min read

Explained

2 min read

The expert view

Autism wasn’t always defined this way – a sort of catch-all diagnosis for a huge variety of conditions…Today, anyone of any age or intelligence level can be diagnosed with autism if they meet certain criteria.

Dame Uta Frith, UCL Professor

wildlife

White-tailed eagles released in Exmoor to boost bird’s return

Half a dozen young white-tailed eagles have been released in Exmoor National Park as part of a project to bring the lost birds back to England’s skies.

The eagles were once widespread in southern England until the 18th century when persecution led to them being wiped out in the region.

What you need to know

The six young birds are part of a project by Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation to restore the species to England which has seen the release of 45 white-tailed eagles from the Isle of Wight since 2019.

Big Read

5 min read

Seaside Break

4 min read

A closer look at the detail

• Since then, some of the birds have started breeding and the first wild-born chick in southern England since 1780 was born in 2023.
• The six birds released are the first to be reintroduced after they disappeared due to persecution more than 200 years ago.
• They have been introduced to Exmoor National Park – which sits across Somerset and Devon – to expand their breeding range into south-west England, conservationists behind the scheme said.

TRAVEL

3 min read

The expert view

White-tailed eagles would have once been a common natural sight across the south-west of England. After so many years absent from this landscape it is a special moment to be returning them on Exmoor. We will closely monitor their progress as they explore and, in time, begin to settle across this region.”

Zoe Smith, the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation

Are you having as much sex as everyone else?

It’s natural for libido to wax and wane due to life events, dating status or hormonal changes.

And it can be hard to say what a “normal” sexual frequency is. But research and case studies give us a rough idea.

The statistics

When it happens

61%

 A 2023 survey concluded that almost two thirds (61 per cent) of us wait until night-time to have sex.

Only 14 per cent opt to get busy in the early evening, and 10 per cent in the morning.

Three

 Research from 2019 suggests that the average number of times British live-in or married couples have sex per month is three. 

Are Gen Z having less sex than older people?

I see my partner on the weekends and have sex with others in the week.

Leanne, a 27-year-old influencer from Bristol has sex three or four times a week, but only sees her long-distance partner on the weekends. They have agreed they can both sleep with other people during the week.

Millennials

35-year-old Rebecca usually sleeps with her partner once or twice per week due to not having much child-free time.

Clare, 32, says her job is busy and she has to schedule sex with her partner on weekends, or some afternoons twice a month. “Occasionally this slips and I do worry that it makes us not as connected,” she says.

Gen X

Daisy, 56

I haven’t had the issue of my sex life drying up with menopause. I’m more aroused now.

Anna, 52

I’ve been married for 15 years. I love my husband, but our sex life is non-existent, and has been for about five years.

Mimi, 46

I’m not really motivated to seek out partners; I vaguely like the idea of it but not enough to take any action.

Boomers

I’ve been married for 20 years and sex has become something of a rarity. We maybe have sex once a week on a Sunday morning as we’re both relaxed and I can take Viagra late on Saturday night – without it, I can’t perform.

JACK, 63, OFFICE WORKER, KENT

The seven rules that could save your marriage

Keep your sense of self

I did what I thought I was supposed to do and forgot my needs and wants. I think it’s really important that you’re an individual and not just a person who is married.

KATIE STRATFORD*, A 55-YEAR-OLD MUM OF TWO, WHO DIVORCED ATER 19 YEARS

Seven rules to save your marriage

The small things

Small things, like being brought a cup of tea or saying thank you, make a big difference.

Therapists

Karen Deulofeu, who ended her six-year marriage, believes all couples should seek support, even before they think they need it.

Listen

Listen properly by repeating what you have heard and ask if you’ve got that right.

Don’t lose communication

People don’t talk about the deep issues; nobody else is going to do it for you. You don’t want to ask questions because it might rock the boat…you have to keep talking, and talk about what it is that you want within the relationship to keep going forward.

KATIE STRATFORD

Seven rules to save your marriage

Remember that things change

“What you see on social media and what friends say is quite often the nice version. Everything is a phase,” says Deulofeu.

Look at yourself first

“Focus on what’s in your control and what you can do differently, rather than the other person or a situation that you can’t control. Invest in understanding yourself,” she adds.

There are things that all mid-life men should know about keeping their hearts healthy.

From eating more purple fruit to avoiding large bowls of pasta, consultant cardiologist Dr Zoe Astroulakis [below] shares her simple lifestyle habits she wishes her patients would take on board.

Positive changes to make

Swap ‘bad’ fats for healthy ones

You don’t need to eat a fat-free diet; the key is to reduce your saturated fat. Reduce your dairy and swap your red meat for lean meat such as chicken and oily fish.

Control your portions

You don’t need more carbohydrates in a meal than you can fit in your hand. Enormous plates of pasta can cause blood sugar spikes, which can lead to health problems.

Positive changes to make

Look for purple

Blueberries, black grapes and aubergines are great for boosting “good” cholesterol.

Have oats

Porridge is one of the healthiest breakfast options because it’s full of soluble fibre.

Stop taking cocaine

It can provoke a massive heart attack, even in younger people who don’t have existing artery problems.

Stay below the alcohol limit

• The NHS guidelines of 14 units per week is still more than 1,000 additional calories.
• The safest level to aim for is zero.
• If you’re drinking, make sure you have some alcohol-free days each week and space it out.

Interview

5 min read

Positive changes to make

Do cardio too

Don’t only focus on lifting weights. It might make you look toned, but it says nothing about the health of your heart. 

Check your levels

You can get free blood pressure checks in many pharmacies or you can buy a monitor for around £30 to use at home.

Avoid night shifts

It disrupts the body’s circadian rhythm and can lead to increased cholesterol.

A sign to look out for

A beer belly is a sign you need to make urgent changes

It’s usually a sign you’re drinking too much. By the time your belly starts to bulge, it’s a sign that you’re consuming excess calories and storing too much fat internally.

LIFESTYLE

3 min read

Want a new career but worried it’s too late?

Mid-life is not too late to start again, says experienced recruiter Elizabeth Willetts [below].

Here, Willetts shares the best jobs to switch to during midlife if you want a change – without sacrificing pay.

Changing careers in your fifties

Mid-life career pivots can lead to higher earnings. 

7.4%

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, workers aged 45 to 54 who voluntarily pivot jobs see an average wage growth of 7.4 per cent.

3.5%

And those aged 55 to 64 still see a 3.5 per
cent increase. 

The AARP Global Employee Survey also found that over half of workers who changed jobs voluntarily experienced improvements in work flexibility and mental health.

So what job options are there?

Virtual assistant

As a virtual assistant your workload will be very varied and it could be anything from tidying inboxes, booking travel, sending invoices or updating spreadsheets.

You can start out earning around £20 to £35 an hour, but it can scale into agency work, launch support or even project management. Some earn very well.

Recruitment

What it involves

You will source, screen and interview candidates to match them with the right job roles.

Who it’s for

You don’t need any qualifications but it’s suited to communicators and commercially-minded people. 

The pay

The salary van vary from £25 to £50k, but you can earn around £100k depending on commission.

Jobs to switch to in your fifties

Estate agent

It offers flexible hours and weekend staff can earn £15 per hour. 

Training

This form of coaching for businesses could earn around £250 to £1,000 per day.

Sales

In the lower end, a sales rep can make £30k and on the higher end £50-60k, plus commission.

Why coaching is a good option

Coaching is incredibly varied and can be anything from career coaching, to confidence and leadership coaching. 

• As it is an unregulated industry, you don’t need qualifications but the more reputable option is the International Coaching Federation.
• It’s a great career option for older people because clients genuinely value your wealth of life experience.
• It’s flexible, scalable, and you can start doing it part-time alongside another role.
• It could make you anything from £200 an hour, all the way up to £500 p/h+.

Consulting

This can be across HR, operations, marketing, finance, people strategy or project management, as it’s varied.

A huge number of businesses now want expertise without having to hire full-time staff so there is a big job market for freelance consultants.

Price on value, not hours – if your advice saves a client £200k, charging £150 an hour undersells what you’re worth.

Do some foods leave
you feeling hungry rather than satiated? Experts say there are…

Foods that leave you hungrier

A bowl of cereal and glass of orange juice

More refined cereals are digested quickly, and fruit juice, whilst one of your five-a-day, contains less fibre than whole fruit. This might mean you find yourself hungry again within 1-2 hours of eating this breakfast.

Swap the orange juice for a whole orange, the cereal for oats and milk or serve it with Greek yoghurt or a boiled egg. This would increase the fibre and protein content; two nutrients strongly linked with fullness.

Foods that leave you hungrier

Croissants

These pastries are made primarily from refined flour and butter, and are relatively low in protein and fibre.

Toast and jam

It is mostly carbohydrate and without protein or fibre, it is digested quickly, leaving you feeling hungry.

Sushi

Shop-bought packs can contain a lot of white rice, which is digested quickly, and the protein content is often modest.

Foods that leave you hungrier

Vegetable soup

On its own, it is often very low in protein and calories, so hunger can return quickly.

Pizza

Unless it’s loaded with veggies, it’s probably pretty low in fibre.

Smoothies

Liquids are generally less filling as they require little chewing which may not trigger satiety signals.

Foods that leave you hungrier

Snack bars

They are ideal for a quick pick-me-up, but if reducing hunger is what you’re after, it’d be better to swap it out.

Low-fat yoghurt

A full-fat plain Greek yoghurt with berries and seeds tends to be much more filling due to the protein, fat and fibre.

Alcohol

On an empty stomach, it can actually increase your appetite.

What to eat instead

Instead of thinking about avoiding foods, think about what you can add to them.

• Add beans, lentils or shredded chicken to your vegetable soup and pasta.
• Thicken your smoothies with Greek yoghurt, chia seeds and oats.
• Apple slices with peanut butter, yogurt with berries and hummus with oat biscuits are better snack options than a pre-made snack bar.
• Have alcohol alongside a balanced meal containing protein and fibre.

At worst, fears include staff spending all day in the pub, holding down second jobs or even going on holiday early. It may also be a more laissez-faire approach to work on Fridays – less productivity, delayed responses, or even time away from desks. The i Paper spoke to five people about what they really get up to on their WFH Fridays and the answers vary.

‘I secretly work two jobs’

Naomi*, 30, advertising

I’m freelance, but I’ve been at my current job since March. I’m fully remote, and all of my days are at home. I’ll usually start the morning with a cup of tea in bed, chat to my partner, then I’ll get ready, have breakfast, use my LED face mask and read my book while it’s on, and then meditate.

I’ll usually check my Slack messages at 9am, but won’t really start doing anything until 9.30ish. I like to get any work I need to do done first thing as it’s usually when I’m most productive. Then I’ll treat myself by watching something on Hayu – preferably the latest Real Housewives episode – while sunbathing on my balcony.

I like a lunchtime workout class as it doesn’t eat into the rest of my day, so I head out about 12/12:30 for an hour class, come back and make lunch. Around 3-4pm is when I might have a work call, so I check if anyone needs anything.

I’m getting married, so a slow Friday is the perfect time to get a lot of admin done. This is all probably done from the sofa! I’ll keep an eye out for messages, but I’ve clocked off well before 5pm.

I sometimes work on two jobs at the same time as my current role doesn’t take up full days. It initially came out of a financial necessity, but now it’s something that I can’t say no to as I want to make sure that I maintain relationships with my clients and worry that if I go dark for a long period of time (even if I am fully booked) they’ll forget about me. As a freelancer, you can’t rely on one income stream.

I don’t feel guilty. I’m still doing all of the work I need to do, often more. It’s just the way I work and always have done – intense bursts of focus equalling lots of work and then a rest time. I’ve started seeing it as a superpower to be able to juggle my time. My manager is very laid-back and doesn’t micromanage – they trust me to do a good job and have always delivered in the past so they don’t check in.

I’m also in quite a senior role so I’m in charge from a creative point of view, so I don’t need much hand-holding. If I’m double working and I have two meetings that clash – which does sometimes happen – I’ll tell one of them I have an appointment, or I’ll make an excuse that a certain time works better for me.

It does mean, though, that I’ve experienced a lot of burnout which can be hard to navigate, so I feel like my WFH Fridays give me a bit of time back.

‘I work from bed on Friday mornings’

Aimee*, 29, marketing

I’ve been at my full-time marketing job for one year, and I’m in the office three days a week, with two days working from home. I’m in a fast-paced, creative industry where we’re expected to work a lot of overtime at events, so sometimes taking a slower Friday feels like reclaiming time I’m not being paid for. I’ll use it to wash my hair, go to a morning or lunch gym class and I like to leave my house at 6pm for my Friday evening plans, so I’ll start getting ready or doing what I need to do in the afternoon.

I always make sure my to-do list is finished, but I tend to get more work done between Monday-Thursday and Friday is more for admin or last-minute requests. I’m a big “work-from-bed on Friday morning” fan – obviously cameras off for internal calls. I feel like Fridays have always been more relaxed, but I’ve definitely noticed a shift since the pandemic.

More often than not, none of my team seems to be online, and there are no emails being sent; this is at director level all the way to interns. I am definitely a big “mouse wiggler” so I look online at all times, but I also make sure that I’ve got the Teams app or emails on my phone on a Friday so I’m not caught out for missing something if I’m out and about. I also never stray too far from home in case of emergencies.

‘Working from home is extremely stressful when you have a young family’

Ben*, 42, tech

For me, working from home is extremely stressful. I feel like most people with young families will secretly agree. Mandated working at home has worsened a lot of the aspects of my life. I feel guilty not being a present father and having a shut door, but then I am also distracted so not giving 100 per cent attention at work. My calls are punctuated with crying or screaming or kids running into the room, and it also feels like the quality of my family life is worsening because I am stressed, so I’m not the most pleasant to be around.

What do I do on Fridays? Try to do the same focused work I would do in the office, but feeling immense guilt that I’m locking the kids out of the room. Working from home gets painted by everyone as this dream scenario – and it almost certainly is when you are single and live alone – but the second you share that home with young children, I really don’t know how anyone manages to enjoy it.

‘On Fridays, I work harder to set myself up for the next week’

Rachel*, 25, researcher working in a university

On Fridays, I actually work a lot more to set myself up for the week ahead – I hate this trope that we Gen Z do nothing. I’ve been in my current role for a year and a half and I work in a university. Our work schedule is pretty flexible; it’s nine-to-five, but the number of days we go into the office is between one and three a week. I’ll probably get off work about half an hour early on Fridays so I’ll usually work through lunch. I also work part-time in an entirely remote research-based position. Having extra money definitely helps in a city as expensive as London.

Fridays are my days to plan ahead for the week. I’ll make my to-do list for the following week, so I’m not scrambling on Monday morning. I wouldn’t say I do less work, but I would say that my hours are more compressed or I work a bit more strategically on Fridays.

If I ever do less work, I feel guilty that other people might be stretching themselves as a result. I don’t like the narrative that people work less on Fridays because it’s just a way to punish workers and it’s really unfair. As long as you get your work done within your work week or specified hours, I don’t think there should be a problem.

I’m in my mid-twenties and this is my third or fourth full-time role. I think when I entered the workforce I initially wanted to be this career woman, and I think over time – even just in the past few years – I’ve become a bit jaded by work. Being able to work from home enables me to get all of my responsibilities done but also make sure that work doesn’t encompass every aspect of my life.

‘I clean my flat, sell on Vinted, go to a Barre class. Then feel guilty at 3pm’

Sara*, 28, fashion industry

I’ve been at my company since February, and I do four days in the office and Fridays working from home. I have Slack on my phone, just in case, but in the morning I’ll head out to do a barre class, grab a coffee and a pastry and get back to the house at 9.30am. Then I’ll do washing, vacuuming, upload some Vinted listings, check emails, give my mouse a wiggle. Normally I start to feel guilty at around 3pm, so at that point I’ll lock in, headphones on, and get work done.

Other times, I will have already logged off by 3pm and be on my way to an exercise class at 4.15pm. Reselling on Vinted and eBay are my side hustles, so I put a lot of time into them. Without it, I would really struggle to live on my salary. I get minimal holiday, so it’s hard, and when it’s summer it’s really difficult for me to concentrate. I just want to be outside on my balcony, basically, enjoying the sun – you can’t really do that with a laptop in front of you.

I also think I have a really bad attention span, so I struggle with paying attention, especially at home when I notice my flat isn’t tidy. I definitely think there is a correlation between feeling appreciated at work and how you act when working at home.