Work and life balance

Everyone gets 168 hours a week. Here is where yours go, and how much is left after work, travel, sleep and chores.

Your details

Your 168 hour week

56 h 30 min

left for yourself, about 8 h 4 min a day

Paid work40 h
Getting to and from work5 h
Sleep (7.5 h a night)52 h 30 min, in the 7 to 9 hour range
Caring, chores and admin14 h

There is no right number of free hours, but seeing them in black and white makes it easier to protect some.

The working

40 hours work, 5 commuting, 7.5 sleep, 14 chores

168 minus 40, minus 5, minus 52.5 hours of sleep (7.5 x 7), minus 14 leaves 56 h 30 min a week, a little over 8 hours a day. Your sleep is inside the 7 to 9 hours most adults need.

The limits worth knowing

Law and sleep

Thing	Guide
Working week	no more than 48 hours on average, unless you opt out
Rest between working days	11 hours in a row
Weekly rest	24 hours a week, or 48 hours a fortnight
Sleep	7 to 9 hours a night for most adults

If the free hours look thin

Small changes

Check whether the chores could be shared, batched or dropped
Use part of the commute for something you enjoy
Protect sleep first: cutting it to find time usually backfires
Talk to your employer about flexible working; you can ask from day one

Read with care

What this cannot tell you

Count caring as free timePut caring hours in with chores if they are not your choice of downtime.
Know what balance means for youSome people are happy working more; it is about choice.
Give employment adviceAcas can help with questions about hours.

Questions

Common questions

How many hours a week is too many to work?

The legal limit is an average of 48 hours a week, usually over 17 weeks, unless you opt out. Long hours can affect sleep, health and relationships.

How much free time is normal?

There is no standard. This shows your own week so you can decide whether it feels right.

Can I ask for flexible working?

Yes. Employees in Great Britain can make a flexible working request from their first day.

Why include sleep?

Because it is the time most often traded away, and most adults need 7 to 9 hours.

Sources

Last checked 21 October 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.

If work is getting to you

Talk to your manager, HR, an occupational health service or a union rep if you have one. If stress is affecting your sleep, mood or health, see your GP. Your GP can help, or you can refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies. Samaritans on 116 123 are free, day or night, you can text SHOUT to 85258, and for urgent help call NHS 111 and choose option 2. Call 999 if you or someone else is in danger right now.