Planning on spending a few hours catching up in the workshop this weekend? Before you commit to another Saturday at work you might want to consider the results of a new survey by Zurich Insurance that shows that weekend work commitments are having a detrimental impact on the health and wellbeing of small business owners.

The UK study found that 41% are affected by intense work-related stress with more than half of small business owners suffering from sleep disruption and 34% regularly missing family events.

The study concluded that many business owners, including operators of garages and bodyshops, are sacrificing large portions of their free time to keep their businesses running. A third admitted working every weekend, while 16% said that they work on the weekend once a fortnight.

Paul Tombs, Head of SME Proposition at Zurich, comments, “This data showcases the hard work put in by SMEs. Whilst this commitment is hugely impressive, it is alarming to see the high levels of stress being reported by small business owners. Business continuity among small business owners is crucial and being aware of the increased business risks that arise due to the impact of over-working is an important part of the equation.”