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Our inability to deal with the stresses of modern life leaves us feeling frustrated and anxious 234 times a year, according to a new study. Being stuck in traffic, worrying about our health and how to manage finances are the main things that leave us feeling powerless and out of control. It seems advances in technology and a surfeit of gadgets may give us greater control of many aspects of our lives. But it only increases our anxiety and frustration in situations where our fate is out of our hands. As a result over 1.3 million Brits admit feeling powerless and helpless more than 20 times a week. Nearly a third admit feeling they�re not in control because they �put things off�, the study of 2,699 UK adults found. Another third are �too busy to do everything�, and a quarter are just �too disorganised� to stay on top of everything. The new research, carried out by energy company E.ON, reveals men and women are often haunted by different issues. Traffic delays are the main reason why men feel out of control, while getting ill leaves women feel frustrated and anxious. Not being able to control the weather also leaves men feeling powerless. And worrying about their weight makes women feel like they�re not in control of their lives. The new research also highlights that it isn�t just personal factors that make us feel out of control in our lives. A quarter of adults feel anxious and frustrated when they see others wasting energy. Energy company E.ON, which carried out the new study, found people would feel less anxious and better manage energy usage if they had a smart meter. These give households better visibility of their energy consumption so they always know how much is being used - allowing them to see where they can make savings. Smart meters also mean households receive accurate and up-to-date bills. Almost two thirds of us would reduce our energy usage if we could visualise how much we�re using. Nine in ten smart meter users say it has increased awareness of how much energy they�re using.