Time use
Everybody has 24 hours in a day, but how we spend these hours differs from person to person. Time use depends on our personal preferences and responsibilities and also on how much freedom we have to engage in activities we find enjoyable.
The statistics on time use describe people’s everyday lives and preferences, providing valuable information on how we spend our time. This offers a deeper insight into labour market participation, consumer behaviour, leisure time activities and family relationships as well as changes in household composition, people's well-being and societal values.
Time use statistics show:
- how much time Estonian residents devote to sleeping and eating;
- what a young person’s typical day is like;
- how much TV people of different ages watch;
- how time is divided between paid work, household chores and leisure activities;
- which day of the week is the most common for household chores;
- how much time people have left over for exercise, entertainment and socialising with friends;
- how much time is spent each day on getting from place to place;
- how time use varies depending on sex and age.
Time use statistics are necessary to assess overall well-being: what people would prefer to do and on what they actually spend their time. The information collected by Statistics Estonia enables the formulation of even more people-centred family, labour, education and social policies.