Being bothered by the boss while on holiday is more stressful than bungee jumping, according to a study.

Communication with the office while away is also more bothersome than being stood up on a date, the study from lastminute.com found.

The study was based on a survey of 2,000 at-work adults plus stress tests on 16 participants conducted by neuropsychologist David Lewis.

The findings showed that more than two-thirds (68 per cent) of those surveyed had been contacted by their boss while on a break.

Being asked where a document was or for computer log-in details were the most common reasons for receiving a call from the office while on holiday.

Other reasons included questions on how regularly the office plants needed watering, while 10 per cent of holidaymakers had been asked to work on something while they were on the beach.

Being asked where a document was or for computer log-in details were the most common reasons for receiving a call from the office while on holiday

Those most likely to get a call from the office while on a break were those working in retail, finance and marketing followed by those in IT, law and sales.

The stress tests showed that getting a single call or text message from the office was not only more stressful than bungee jumping but also worse than arguing with a loved one or getting stuck in traffic.

Lewis said: “There is no ­denying the effect even just a quick text message from the boss can have when we are on holiday.

“It may not seem like a big deal to the sender but to the recipient the results are dramatic and significantly compounded by being in a relaxed state of mind.”