INFOGRAPHIC: Make Monday Better Book a Westin Weekend

LONDON -- For nearly half of the nation (48%) Monday is the least productive day of the work week, with six out of 10 (57%) admitting to feeling anxiety and stress during the weekend in anticipation of the beginning of the work week.

The study, carried out by Westin Hotels & Resorts – whose “Westin Weekend” experience is designed to make Mondays better with 3pm Sunday check-outs and extended breakfast hours – highlights a growing need amongst Brits for more leisure time and opportunities to unwind and disconnect over the weekend.

The research, which looked at how technology and work obligations have impacted on Brit’s personal lives, showed that more than a third (36%) of workers say they feel tired at the start of the working week, while 5 out of 10 (52%) have had their health and well-being negatively impacted by work due to lack of exercise, sleep and relaxation.

Sue Firth, Occupational Psychologist at the London Stress Clinic, said: “People need the weekend to relax and unwind from the stresses of work, so that they come back on Monday full of energy. Many of us feel obligated to answer emails at home when we should be able to rest, or make ourselves available for work discussions that could really wait until after the weekend, so initiatives like the Westin Weekend that aim to help us achieve a better balance are important.

“Over time this is going to affect a person’s well-being, leaving them tired and moody which in turn can affect personal relationships. It can also make us feel resentful about work and less likely to contribute when we are in the office. I tell clients to pick out a landmark a short distance from home and use that as a cutoff point, so that when you go past it, you mentally leave work behind ready to enjoy home time. If you have to work at home, limit the number of evenings you’ll do this in a week and stop working after 9pm to ensure you get a good night’s sleep.”

Brits say ‘I need a break’:

• One in two (50%) Brits spend up to three hours working on the weekend answering emails or calls
• Six out of 10 (62%) say their personal life has been negatively affected by work, with nearly half (45%) saying it has had a negative impact on family relationships
• More than a third (36%) have quit, or considered quitting, a job because it had a negative impact on their relationships
• More than a quarter (28%) have been in the middle of a ‘romantically special moment’ with a partner, when work interfered and ruined the moment

The “Westin Weekend” experience allows guests more flexibility and time to make the most out of their weekend getaway, letting them sleep in with 3pm Sunday late check-out, extended breakfast hours for its energizing SuperFoodRX menu all weekend and more.

Brian Povinelli, Global Brand Leader for Westin Hotels & Resorts said: “Westin is committed to providing wellness in travel. With this promise, we proudly introduce a new weekend experience addressing our guests’ need for more relaxation and leisure time to unwind before the start of the working week.

“We have found that having more vacation time would allow our guests to improve their personal lives and well-being. A weekend stay at Westin offers great perks such as late check-out, extended breakfast hours and instinctive programming, making it easy to plan the perfect, personalised getaway.”

About Westin Weekend
Westin Hotels & Resorts understands the growing need of consumers for more leisure and “me-time” and is tackling the “Monday blues” with the introduction of a new “Westin Weekend” experience that gives guests the opportunity to unwind, recharge and switch off from work during their weekend getaway. Westin hotels will signal the weekend has arrived through a variety of sensory cues including changes in lighting, music and décor. Hotel associates will begin the transformation experience upon guest arrival, leaving behind weekday ties and customary uniforms for a more relaxed and casual weekend look. Each guestroom will feature the brand’s signature Heavenly Bed bathrobe placed on the bed to officially welcome guests to their weekend. Guests are encouraged to linger in bed longer with a late, 3pm Sunday check-out and extended breakfast hours all weekend. Westin Weekends are designed to inspire well-being, from a good night’s sleep in the Heavenly®Bed and energising SuperFoodsRX dining options to convenient exercise through the RunWESTIN and New Balance Gear-Lending experiences.

To inspire guests during a weekend getaway, Westin, in partnership with AFAR, recently launched WESTIN FINDS FROM AFAR, an engaging and award-winning digital destination guide that steers travellers to local favorites and must-see sights within easy reach of Westin hotels. It lets guests personalise their itinerary based on whether they are travelling as singles, couples, families or groups of friends.

About Westin Hotels & Resorts
Westin Hotels & Resorts offers innovative programs that transform every aspect of a stay into a revitalizing experience. All Westin signature services – like the Heavenly Bed, delicious SuperFoods and WestinWORKOUT studio – have been designed with the guests’ well-being in mind. Westin hotels, with more than 190 hotels and resorts in nearly 40 countries and territories, is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,162 properties in nearly 100 countries and 171,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, and ElementSM. The Company boasts one of the industry’s leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., a premier provider of world-class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands. For more information, please visit .

This study is based on a survey conducted by STUDYLOGIC LLC via telephone of 5,896 respondents who travel away from home for business at least once per year and have $100,000 or more in household income from 5 different countries: the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, France, and Germany. 53% of respondents were male and 47% were female. The survey consisted of thirty questions including identifiers. Interviews were conducted between August 25th and September 9th, 2013. The survey averaged 25 minutes in length and contains a margin of error of +/-3%. In the UK, 1177 respondents took part.