In six charts Danielle Kurtzleben of Vox gives a glimpse of how Americans spend their time.  The charts are based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' American Time Use Survey (ATUS). Time-use surveys measure the amount of time people spend doing various activities, such as work, childcare, housework, watching television, volunteering, and socializing.  The ATUS has been collecting data (through telephone interviews) since 2003.

The most recent available data (2012) show, for example, that the average working American spends 8.8 hours at work.  Women tend to spend less time at work than men, but when housework, childcare, and shopping are factored in, women end up working more.  "What do dads do with that extra time? They relax. Working dads in this group spend a little over four hours a day, on average, in leisure time. Moms spend just over three hours."




The charts also show that Americans spend much of their free time watching television.  The younger they are, the less likely they are to spend time reading, and the more likely they are to spend time on the computer for fun (playing games, for instance).