About one in three Australians are grappling with time poverty, with the majority working unpaid hours, according to a recent report by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The findings reveal a significant gender disparity, with more than 36 percent of women consistently feeling rushed or pressed for time, compared to approximately 30 percent of men.
The primary reason cited for this pervasive sense of being rushed is the challenge of balancing work and family responsibilities. This revelation comes as the bureau releases its comprehensive analysis of how Australians spent their time in 2024, categorizing their activities into personal care, employment and education, unpaid work, and leisure time.
Unpaid Work and Gender Disparities
The survey highlights that although most Australians engage in unpaid work, fewer people report doing so on days when they also perform paid work. Notably, women, on average, work about an hour more per day and have an hour less free time than men. Furthermore, mothers spend approximately an hour longer caring for children compared to fathers, while single parents with children under 15 dedicate just under an hour more to unpaid work than couples.
Rowena Ditzell, a specialist in the future of work at the University of Technology Sydney, commented on the findings, stating, “Women are continuing to spend a greater amount of time doing unpaid labour.” This ongoing trend underscores the persistent gender inequality in the division of unpaid work.
Leisure Time and Popular Activities
Despite the constraints of unpaid work, more than 90 percent of those surveyed manage to engage in leisure activities, with men spending slightly more time than women. Parents, however, spend nearly three hours less on leisure activities than individuals without children.
Television and streaming services emerge as the most popular leisure activity, with about 62 percent of people dedicating nearly three hours daily to watching or streaming their preferred shows or movies. Socializing in person is also a favored pastime, with 55 percent of people participating, and women more likely than men to engage in face-to-face interactions.
“About 62% of people spend almost three hours a day watching or streaming their show or movie of choice.”
Meanwhile, nearly half of the survey respondents reported spending their leisure time browsing online, checking emails, and engaging with social media.
The Impact of Remote Work
The shift to remote work has further complicated the landscape of unpaid labor. People working from home complete an average of 7 hours and 8 minutes of paid work daily, compared to 8 hours and 18 minutes for those commuting to a workplace. However, remote workers tend to engage in more unpaid work, spending about 3 hours and 24 minutes on such tasks, whereas office workers spend less than two and a half hours.
Women working from home average nearly an hour longer workdays than their male counterparts. Despite the longer hours, remote work offers more opportunities for leisure activities compared to on-site work.
Dr. Ditzell noted, “When people work from home, one of the benefits is getting back the time lost to the commute. What we see quite typically is that that time is usually reinvested either to doing additional paid work or for that extra unpaid work.” She added, “But we do know that that time that is not being spent on commuting is often reinvested back into paid or often unpaid work as well.”
Looking Ahead
The findings of the Australian Bureau of Statistics underscore the ongoing challenges associated with time poverty and unpaid work, particularly among women. As remote work becomes more prevalent, it is crucial to address these disparities and find solutions that promote a more equitable distribution of unpaid labor.
Experts suggest that policy changes, such as improved childcare support and flexible work arrangements, could help alleviate the burden on time-poor individuals. As Australia continues to navigate the evolving work landscape, these insights offer a valuable roadmap for fostering a more balanced and equitable society.
