What's the matter with Americans?
They (we?) are working harder than ever. In 2014, Americans spent an average of eight hours and 10 minutes each day on work-related activities, an increase of nine minutes from 2013, according to the annual Time Use Survey results released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics last month. (How do you compare? Do our poll below.)
Despite working harder, Americans are managing to get more sleep and leisure time. The average time spent on sleep has increased four minutes from eight hours and 44 minutes in 2013 to eight hours and 48 minutes in 2014. The time spent on leisure and sports saw a one-minute increase to five hours and 32 minutes.
How do you do both? One contributor: shorter, or even nonexistent, commutes. The percentage of employed people who partly or completely work from home surged from 19 percent in 2013 to 23 percent in 2014. It means nearly one out of every four American workers is working remotely from their workplace.
However, full-time American men continue to work longer hours than women by 37 minutes. This might be due to the fact that women spend more time on parenting and taking care of family members than men. The survey shows women between the ages of 25 and 64 spend over 50 percent more time than men caring for and helping household members.
Now, your turn: How do you spend your time compared to the average American? Use the calculator below to see your results and share them with your friends.
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