To find out how much time recurring tasks actually take, track each task’s frequency and duration over a representative period, then total the results. Use that evidence to decide whether to simplify the process, delegate it, or automate part of it. There is no reliable universal figure for how much time all workers spend on recurring work, and published savings depend on the people, tasks, and tools studied.
What counts as a recurring task?
Recurring work is any activity that comes back regularly, whether it happens daily, weekly, monthly, or whenever a particular case arises. It may be a substantial process, such as preparing business records, or a small step repeated often, such as entering the same information in more than one system.
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Examples in Office for National Statistics (ONS) research on Great Britain public-sector work include data entry, record keeping, appointment booking, email, photocopying, recruitment administration, and booking travel. One education worker described “Paperwork based tasks, tasks that were repetitive, but had to be inputted into two different systems” in an ONS report. These are examples reported in that study, not a universal list of every worker’s administrative duties. (ONS time-use pilot; ONS further analysis)
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How to measure time spent on recurring work
1. Choose a representative period
Track long enough to include the normal pattern of work, not just an unusually busy or quiet day. Include relevant weekly or monthly tasks if they are part of the question you are trying to answer. The period need not be elaborate; consistency matters more than precision to the second.
2. Log each occurrence
For each instance, note the task, its duration, and whether it was a normal occurrence or an exception. Use a short, specific task name—such as “enter invoice details in two systems”—rather than a broad label like “admin.” A paper notebook or digital note can work; the ONS used an online diary to capture work activities, but did not test consumer planners or show that buying a notebook improves productivity. (ONS time-use pilot)
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3. Total frequency and time
At the end of the period, count occurrences and add their durations for each task. Keep unusual cases separate so a one-off interruption does not distort the typical pattern. If you want to compare tasks, use the same period and logging rules for each.
4. Check what the task requires
Before changing a process, consider why it exists and what can go wrong. A task may involve sensitive information, legal or financial accuracy, a required approval, or judgment that cannot be reduced to a simple repeatable step. The time log shows where effort goes; it does not by itself establish that the work is unnecessary.
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How to decide what to change
An ONS management questionnaire asked organizations how administration could be done more efficiently and raised options including automated computer processes, dedicated administrative or support staff, and streamlining or reducing repetition. These are possible approaches, not evidence that one works best in every organization. (ONS management questionnaire)
| Option | May suit | Questions to check |
|---|---|---|
| Streamline | A process with redundant steps, duplicate entry, or avoidable handoffs. | Can steps be removed without weakening accuracy, approvals, or record keeping? |
| Delegate | Work that needs attention but does not need to remain with its current owner. | Is there a suitable person or support role, and will the handoff and training cost less than the time released? |
| Automate | Stable, rules-based steps that can be handled by existing software or an automated process. | What are the setup and maintenance effort, error risks, privacy and access requirements, system integrations, training needs, and human-review requirements? |
Those comparison questions are practical decision criteria, not outcomes measured by the studies cited here. For any option, weigh the time it may release against setup, upkeep, and the cost of mistakes.
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What published time-saving figures do—and do not—show
Official UK studies offer examples of savings in specific settings. They should not be treated as forecasts for unrelated tasks, workplaces, or tools.
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|---|---|---|
| HM Revenue & Customs, 2025: VAT businesses using fully functional Making Tax Digital software for business finances and record keeping. | Estimated average change of 33 hours saved per business per year; 95% confidence interval: 26 to 40 hours. | This estimate applies to the defined VAT-business and software context, not to every business or recurring task. (HMRC evaluation) |
| UK Government cross-government Microsoft 365 Copilot experiment, 2025. | Users reported an average of 26 minutes saved per day. | This was a trial result, not a guaranteed daily saving. Experimental constraints meant the evaluation could not identify how saved time was spent; the report also notes limitations with complex data and nuanced work, and the need for oversight, training, and engagement. (Cross-government findings report) |
| Department for Work and Pensions Copilot trial survey, 2025. | 89% of survey respondents said they redirected saved time to other work tasks. | This describes respondents in that specific trial, not AI users generally. It illustrates why a task taking less time does not necessarily mean a lower overall workload or fewer staff. (DWP evaluation) |
The cross-government report’s authors concluded that “M365 Copilot displays potential for significant time savings.” Read that conclusion alongside the experiment’s limits: reported task-level savings do not establish that total work fell.
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Keep the measurement useful
- Track actual occurrences rather than estimating from memory.
- Separate ordinary instances from exceptions, and make sure your tracking period includes the work cycle you want to understand.
- Record enough detail to identify repeated steps, without turning the log itself into a burdensome task.
- After a change, measure the same task again using comparable logging rules. Treat the result as evidence about your own process, not a promise that the same intervention will work elsewhere.
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