How do you think people allocate their time during an average day of their life ? This is an interesting question Our World in Data answered to, publishing a study about the case, back in December 2020.
Not only, this study is filled up with very indicative numbers (i.e. minutes), but it slices 24 hours in specific activity categories, that anyone can relate to. These time-use surveys were brought in by the OECD, through sub studies lead in 33 countries all over the world, over the last 20 years or so (it seems to go back to 1998/99 for the India survey) for participants 15 to 64 years old.
There are basically 3 main cross-country categories, that everybody practices as a human being : work, leisure and biological needs.
Now the differences or similarities between countries say a lot about economical, sociological or cultural specifications. Check this ourworldindata.org chart for a selection of 23 countries.
What are the widest discrepancies ?
- In daily activities, such as paid work, education, housework or unpaid activities.
Italy works the less for wages (149 minutes a day), when Japan spends more than 326 minutes a day for this activity.
Baltic countries teach themselves a short 12-13 minutes a day when South Korea will dedicate almost an hour to the educational duty.
Home chores are taken very seriously in Mexico (187 minutes a day), not so much in South Korea (76 minutes)
France will give 17 minutes of its time to unpaid work & volunteering, when Japan will consider spending 98 minutes to the cause.
- Basic needs vary tremendously from a country to another, depending on the culture or the environment.
Japan sleeps the less with 442 minutes when South Africa spends 553 minutes in bed.
The USA will dedicate 63 minutes a day to eat and drink Vs cuisine culturally orientated France and their 133 minutes a day.
BTW, here's a personal and - I believe - entertaining French food video channel : Cooking With Benoit ;-)- Hobbies also show big differences between countries, cultures and economical input.
South Africa will go shopping for 9 minutes when Germany will spend 32 minutes in shops. You would believe The USA would win this ? Well, no : the average American citizen will go shopping for 22 minutes.
Apparently the US citizen would rather spend more time watching TV or listening to the radio (148 minutes) than someone in India (61 minutes).
When it comes to sport activities, South Africa will exercise for a scarce 5 minutes, when Spain will devote 42 minutes to it : Olé !
Data studies can explain these differences in culture, behavior and wealth. What do you think of these numbers ? If you are citizens of these countries, can you confirm or deny ?
Please leave your comments in the section below. That would be very interesting to have your input.