Startling Statistics About How We Spend Our Time

Do you ever feel like you are spinning your wheels each day? Have you ever wondered if how you spend your time is similar to how other people spend theirs? The American Time Use Survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that after work and sleep, there’s really not much time left for anything else by the average working American. This is how the average working person spends their time on a daily basis:


Working and related activities: 8.7 hours

Sleep: 7.7 hours

Leisure and sports: 2.6 hours

Household activities: 1.1 hours

Eating and drinking: 1.1 hours

Caring for Others: 1.3 hours

Other: 1.5 hours


This means that over half the day is gone, with over 12 hours a day devoted to working, eating, household and caring activities. Then there is the time for sleeping (7.7 hours). There’s only a few hours left for anything else.


It’s interesting to note that watching TV was the leisure activity that occupied the most time. Only 21% of men and 16% of women participated in sports or exercise. Maybe that’s because we’re too tired after working all day and managing the household to want to get up off the couch?


If you feel you are burning the candle at both ends, you’re not alone. Other startling statistics about email use and how often we are interrupted at work can indicate how hard it is to manage time effectively.


Key Point

Time management is a challenge but there are things you can do about it. The key is to focus on your most important activities and realize you probably will never get it “all” done. Once you give yourself permission to leave some things undone, the need for perfectionism can be lifted off your shoulders and you will feel much better. The Time Mastery Profile can assess how effectively you are managing your time now.