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Technical information: (202) 691-6339

 http://www.bls.gov/tus/

Media contact: 691-5902

USDL 06-1276

For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT

Thursday, July 27, 2006

AMERICAN TIME USE SURVEY—2005 RESULTS ANNOUNCED BY BLS

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today that in 2005:

• Employed persons worked 7.5 hours on average on the days that they worked. They also worked

longer hours on weekdays than on weekend days—7.9 versus 5.5 hours.

• On weekend days that they worked, employed individuals (ages 25 and over) with a bachelor’s

degree or higher worked about half as many hours as those with less than a high school diploma—

3.7 versus 7.1 hours.

• On the days they worked, employed men worked about an hour more than employed women—

7.9 versus 7.1 hours.

• Married persons spent more time doing household activities than unmarried persons—2.1 versus

1.4 hours per day—and women, regardless of marital status, spent more time doing these activities

than men.

• Watching TV was the leisure activity that occupied the most time (2.6 hours per day), accounting for

about half of leisure time, on average, for both men and women. By contrast, the next most common

leisure activity, socializing—such as visiting with friends or attending or hosting social events—accounted for only about three-quarters of an hour per day for both men and women.

BLS has long produced statistics about the labor market, such as employment, hours of work, and earnings. To provide a more complete picture of the context of employment, BLS also conducts the American

Time Use Survey (ATUS). The ATUS collects data on what activities people do during the day and how

much time they spend doing them.

This third annual release of ATUS data focuses on the time Americans worked, did household activities,

cared for household children, and participated in leisure and sports activities in 2005.

ATUS data collection began in January 2003. The survey is sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. ATUS estimates for 2005 are based on interviews of about

13,000 individuals. Respondents were interviewed only once and reported their activities for the 24-hour

period from 4 a.m. on the day before the interview until 4 a.m. on the day of the interview—their “diary

day.” If respondents reported doing more than one activity at a time, they were asked to identify which
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activity was primary. Except for secondary childcare, activities done simultaneously with primary activities

were not collected. Activities were then grouped into categories for analysis. For a further description of the

survey, see the Technical Note.

“Average Day” Measures

“Average day” measures for the entire population provide a mechanism for seeing the overall distribution

of time allocation for society as a whole. The ATUS collects data about daily activities from all segments of

the population age 15 and over, including persons who are employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force

(such as students or retirees). Data also are collected for both weekdays and weekends. Thus, “average

day” measures developed for the entire population reflect the average distribution of time across all persons

and days. Activity profiles will differ based upon age, employment status, gender, and other characteristics.

On an “average day” in 2005, persons in the U.S. age 15 and over slept about 8.6 hours, spent 5.1 hours

doing leisure and sports activities, worked for 3.7 hours, and spent 1.8 hours doing household activities.

The remaining 4.7 hours were spent in a variety of other activities, including eating and drinking, attending

school, and shopping. (See table 1.) By comparison, persons employed full time who worked on an average weekday spent 9.1 hours working, 7.6 hours sleeping, 3.0 hours doing leisure and sports activities, and

0.9 hours doing household activities. The remaining 3.4 hours were spent in other activities, such as those

described above.

Many activities typically are not done on a daily basis, and some activities only are done by a subset of

the population. For example, only 46 percent of all persons age 15 and over reported working on an average day because some were not employed and others were employed but did not work on their diary day.

For this reason, much of the analysis that follows uses time-use estimates that are restricted to specific population groups, such as employed persons or adults in households with children.

Working (by Employed Persons)

• Many more people worked on weekdays than on weekend days. About 83 percent of employed

persons worked on an average weekday, compared with 32 percent on an average weekend day.

(See table 4.)

• Employed persons worked 7.5 hours, on average, on the days that they worked. They also worked

more hours on weekdays than on weekend days—7.9 versus 5.5 hours. (See table 4.)

• Multiple jobholders were about twice as likely to work on a weekend day or holiday as single jobholders. (See table 4.)

• On the days they worked, employed men worked about three-quarters of an hour more than employed women. The difference partly reflects women’s greater likelihood of working part time. However,

even among full-time workers (those usually working 35 hours or more per week), men worked

slightly longer than women—8.3 versus 7.7 hours. (See tables 4 and 6.)

• About 74 percent of persons employed in management, business, and financial operations occupations reported working on a given day—a greater share than those employed in any other occupation.

Ninety-one percent of people in these occupations worked on a given weekday, as compared to

83 percent of all workers. (See tables 4 and 5.)
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• Employed women living with a child under age 6 spent about an hour less per day working than employed women living in households with no children. On the other hand, employed men living with a

child under age 6 worked about the same amount of time as those living in households with no

children. (See table 8.)

Household Activities

• On an average day in 2005, 84 percent of women and 65 percent of men spent some time doing

household activities, such as housework, cooking, lawn care, or financial and other household

management. (See table 1.)

• Women who reported doing household activities on the diary day spent 2.7 hours on such activities

while men spent 2.1 hours. (See table 1.)

• On an average day, 19 percent of men reported doing housework—such as cleaning or doing laundry—compared with 53 percent of women. Thirty-seven percent of men did food preparation or

cleanup versus 66 percent of women. (See table 1.)

Care of Household Children (by Adults in Households with Children)

• In households with the youngest child under age 6, time spent providing primary childcare averaged

2.5 hours for women and 1.3 hours for men. Physical care, playing with children, and travel related

to childcare accounted for most of the time spent in primary childcare activities. (See table 9.)

• For adults living with children under age 6, women provided an average of 1.1 hours of physical

care—such as bathing, dressing, or feeding a child—per day to household children, while men

provided about one-half of this amount—0.5 hour (about 30 minutes). (See table 9.)

• Adults living in households where the youngest child was under the age of 6 spent 1.8 hours—nearly

three times as much time—per day caring for and helping household children compared with adults

living in households where the youngest child was between the ages of 6 and 17. (See table 8.)

• Among adults living with children under age 6, those who were not employed spent about 1 hour

more per day than employed adults, 2.5 versus 1.5 hours, caring for and helping household children.

(See table 8.)

• Adults living in households where the youngest child was under age 6 spent 25 more minutes per day

playing and doing hobbies with a household child than adults living in households where the youngest

child was between the ages of 6 and 17. (See table 9.)

• Adults living in households with a child under age 6 spent 4.0 hours per day doing leisure and sports

activities. A little more than half of this time also was spent providing childcare as a secondary activity.

That is, they had at least one child under age 13 in their care while doing leisure and sports activities.

(See tables 8 and 10.)

Leisure Activities

• On an average day in 2005, nearly everyone (96 percent) age 15 and over reported some sort of

leisure or sports activity, such as watching TV, socializing, or exercising. Among this group of participants, men spent more time doing leisure activities (5.7 hours) than women (5.0 hours). (See table 1.)
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• Men were slightly more likely than women to participate in sports on any given day, 19 versus 16 percent. Men also spent more time in sports activities on the days they participated, 2.0 versus 1.3 hours.

(See table 1.)

• Among individuals age 25 and over, those with less than a high school diploma spent 1.9 more hours

per day engaged in leisure and sports activities than those who had earned a bachelor’s degree or

higher. (See table 11.)

• Married women spent 4.5 hours per day participating in leisure and sports activities. On average, this

amounted to less leisure time than married men (0.6 hour less), unmarried women (0.7 hour less), and

unmarried men (1.7 hours less). (See table 11.)

• Among full-time wage and salary workers, low earners (those earning $450 or less per week) spent

50 more minutes per weekday doing leisure and sports activities than the highest earners (those earning

more than $1,076 per week). However, these groups spent about the same amount of time in leisure

activities on weekend days. (See table11.)

• On average, individuals spent 33 percent more time (1.8 additional hours) in leisure and sports

activities on weekend days than weekdays. The biggest proportional gain was in socializing time;

individuals spent double the time socializing and communicating on weekend days than on weekdays.

In absolute terms, individuals increased their TV watching and socializing times by about the same

amount; they watched TV for 42 more minutes and socialized for 35 more minutes on weekend days

than on weekdays. (See table 11.)

• Employed adults living in households without children (under age 18) engaged in leisure and sports

activities for 4.5 hours, about 50 more minutes per day than employed adults living with a child under

age 6. Almost half of their additional leisure time was spent watching TV. (See table 8.)

Microdata Release

Today, BLS also released six 2005 ATUS microdata files from the basic survey for users who wish to

do their own tabulations and analyses: the Respondent file, the Roster file, the Activity file, the Who file, the

ATUS-CPS file, and the Activity summary file. In addition to the 2005 basic survey files, four additional files

were released: the Case history file, the Call history file, the Trips file, and the Replicate weights file. In

accordance with BLS and Census Bureau policies that protect respondents’ privacy, identifying fields were

removed from the microdata files and some responses have been edited. Microdata files are available on the

BLS Web site at http://www.bls.gov/tus/home.htm. A brief description of the files follows:

• The Respondent file contains case-specific information, such as each respondent’s labor force status,

earnings, and total time spent providing secondary childcare.

• The Roster file contains information about each member of the respondent’s household, such as age,

sex, and relationship to the respondent.

• The Activity file contains detail about each respondent’s diary day; it includes activity codes, start and

stop times for each activity, and information about where activities took place.

• The Who file includes codes that indicate who was present during each activity.
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• The ATUS-CPS file contains information for all households selected to participate in the ATUS and

includes most of the variables from the Current Population Survey (CPS) Public Use file.

• The Activity summary file contains the total amount of time respondents spent doing each activity

(calculated from the Activity file), and selected variables from the Respondent file and the ATUS-CPS

file.

• The Case history file contains information about the interview process, such as interviewer identifiers

and interview outcome codes.

• The Call history file contains information about each call attempt, including the call date and outcome.

• The Trips file contains information about times the respondent was away from home for 2 nights or

more in a specific reference month.

• The Replicate weights file contains ATUS replicate weights and replicate base weights.

For More Information

For additional information, please see the Technical Note or the ATUS Web site. Additional information

about the ATUS also may be obtained by e-mailing ATUSinfo@bls.gov or by calling 202-691-6339.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone:

202-691-5200; TDD message referral phone: 1-800-877-8339.
Technical Note

Survey methodology

Data collection for the American Time Use Survey (ATUS)

began in January 2003. Sample cases for the survey are selected

monthly and interviews are conducted continuously

throughout the year. In 2005, approximately 13,000 individuals

were interviewed. Estimates are released annually.

ATUS sample households are chosen from the households

that completed their eighth (final) interview for the Current

Population Survey (CPS), the nation’s monthly household labor

force survey. ATUS sample households are selected to ensure

that estimates will be nationally representative.

One individual age 15 or older is randomly chosen from each

sampled household. This “designated person” is interviewed

by telephone once about his or her activities on the day before

the interview—the “diary day.”

All ATUS interviews are conducted using Computer

Assisted Telephone Interviewing. Procedures are in place to

collect information from the small number of households that

did not provide a telephone number during the CPS interview.

ATUS designated persons are preassigned a day of the week

about which to report. Preassignment is designed to reduce

variability in response rates across the week and to allow

oversampling of weekend days, so that accurate weekend day

measures can be developed. Interviews occur on the day

following the assigned day. For example, a person assigned to

report about a Monday would be contacted on the following

Tuesday. Ten percent of designated persons are assigned to

report about each of the five weekdays. Twenty-five percent

are assigned to report about each weekend day. Households

are called for up to 8 consecutive weeks (for example, 8

Tuesdays) in order to secure an interview.

About the questionnaire

In the time diary portion of the ATUS interview, respondents

sequentially report activities they did between 4 a.m. on the day

before the interview (“yesterday”) until 4 a.m. on the day of the

interview. For each activity, respondents are asked how long

the activity lasted. For activities other than personal care

activities (such as sleeping and grooming), interviewers also

ask respondents where they were and who was in the room with

them (if at home) or who accompanied them (if away from home).

If respondents report doing more than one activity at a time,

they are asked to identify which one was the “main” (primary)

activity. If none can be identified, it is assumed to be the first

one mentioned. After completing the time diary, interviewers

ask respondents additional questions to collect more

information to assist coders in clearly identifying work,

volunteering, and secondary childcare activities. Secondary

childcare is defined as having a child under age 13 in one’s care

while doing other things.

In addition, the ATUS includes an update of the household

roster information from the last CPS interview (2-5 months prior

to the ATUS interview) and the employment status information

of the designated person and his or her spouse or unmarried

partner. For designated persons who became employed or

changed jobs between the last CPS interview and the ATUS

interview, information also is collected on industry, occupation,

class of worker, and earnings. For those who are unemployed

or on layoff, CPS questions on job search activities and layoff

are asked. Finally, a question about current school enrollment

status is asked of all respondents ages 15 to 49.

After completing the interview, primary activity descriptions

are assigned a single 6-digit code using the ATUS Coding

Lexicon. The 3-tier coding system consists of 17 major activity

categories, each with multiple second- and third-tier

subcategories. These coding lexicon categories are then

combined into composite categories for publication, such as in

this news release. Descriptions of categories shown in this

release can be found in the Major activity category definitions

section of this Technical Note. The 2005 ATUS Coding Lexicon

can be accessed at http://www.bls.gov/tus/.

Concepts and definitions

Average hours per day. The average number of hours spent

in a 24-hour day (between 4 a.m. on the diary day and 4 a.m. on

the interview day) doing a specified activity.

 • Average hours per day, population. The average number

of hours per day is computed using all responses from a

given population, including respondents who did not do a

particular activity on their diary day. These estimates

reflect how many population members engaged in an

activity and the amount of time they spent doing it.

 Average hours per day, persons reporting the activity on

the diary day. The average number of hours per day is

computed using only responses from those who engaged

in a particular activity on their diary day.

Diary day. The diary day is the day about which the

designated person reports. For example, the diary day of a

designated person interviewed on Tuesday is Monday.

 Earnings

 • Usual weekly earnings. Data represent the earnings of fulltime wage and salary workers before taxes and other

deductions and include any overtime pay, commissions, or

tips usually received (at the main job in the case of multiple

jobholders). Respondents are asked to identify the easiest

way for them to report earnings (hourly, weekly, biweekly,

twice monthly, monthly, annually, other) and how much

they usually earn in the reported time period. Earnings

reported on a basis other than weekly are converted to a

weekly equivalent. The term “usual” is as perceived

by the respondent. If the respondent asks for a definition

of usual, interviewers are instructed to define the term as

•
more than half the weeks worked during the past 4 or 5

months.

 • Weekly earnings ranges. The ranges used represent approximately 25 percent of full-time wage and salary workers.

For example, 25 percent of full-time wage and salary workers

had weekly earnings of $450 or less. These dollar values may

vary from year to year.

Employment status

 • Employed. All persons who, at any time during the 7 days

prior to the interview:

 1) Did any work at all as paid employees; worked in

their own business, profession, or on their own farm; or

usually worked 15 hours or more as unpaid workers in

a family-operated enterprise; and

 2) All those who were not working but had jobs or

businesses from which they were temporarily absent

due to illness, bad weather, vacation, childcare

problems, labor-management dispute, maternity or

paternity leave, job training, or other family or personal

reasons, whether or not they were paid for the time off

or were seeking other jobs.

• Employed full time. Full-time workers are those who

usually worked 35 hours or more per week at all jobs

combined.

• Employed part time. Part-time workers are those who usually

worked fewer than 35 hours per week at all jobs combined.

• Not employed. Persons are not employed if they do not

meet the conditions for employment. The not employed

include those classified as unemployed as well as those

classified as not in the labor force (using CPS definitions).

The numbers of employed and not employed persons in this

report do not correspond to published totals from the CPS for

several reasons. First, the reference population for the ATUS

is 15 years and older, whereas it is 16 years and older for the

CPS. Second, ATUS data are collected continuously, the

employment reference period being the 7 days prior to the

interview. By contrast, CPS data are always collected during the

week including the 19th of the month and refer to employment

during the week containing the 12th of the month. Third, ATUS

response rates in 2005 were slightly higher for employed than

for non-employed designated persons, and this difference is

not accounted for by weighting. Finally, the CPS accepts

answers from household members about other household

members, whereas such proxy responses are not allowed in the

ATUS. One consequence of the difference in proxy reporting

is that a significantly higher proportion of teenagers report

employment in the ATUS than in the CPS. While the information

on employment from the ATUS is useful for assessing work in

the context of other daily activities, the employment data are not

intended for analysis of current employment trends. Compared

with the CPS and other estimates of employment, the ATUS

estimates are based on a much smaller sample and are only

available with a substantial lag. Moreover, because the ATUS

has only been in operation since the beginning of 2003, there

is insufficient data for time series analysis.

Household children. Household children are children under

age 18 residing in the household of the ATUS respondent. The

children may be related to the respondent (such as their own

children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, or brothers or

sisters) or not related (such as foster children or children of

roommates). For secondary childcare calculations, respondents

are asked about care for own and non-own household children

under age 13.

Primary activity. A primary activity is the main activity a

respondent was doing at a specified time. With the exception

of secondary childcare in table 10, the estimates presented in

this release reflect time spent in primary activities only.

Secondary/simultaneous activities. A secondary activity is

an activity done at the same time as a primary activity. With the

exception of the care of children under age 13, information on

secondary activities is not systematically collected in the ATUS.

Secondary childcare. Secondary childcare is care for

children under age 13 that is done while doing something else,

such as cooking dinner. Secondary childcare estimates are

derived by summing the durations of activities during which

respondents had a household child or their own non-household

child under age 13 in their care while doing other things. It is

restricted to times the respondent was awake. Secondary

childcare time for household children is further restricted to the

time between when the first household child under age 13 woke

up and the last household child under age 13 went to bed. If

respondents report providing both primary and secondary care

at the same time, the time is attributed to primary care only.

Weekday, weekend, and holiday estimates. Estimates for

weekdays are an average of reports about Monday through

Friday. Estimates for weekend days and holidays are an average

of reports about Saturdays, Sundays, and the following

holidays: New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, the Fourth of

July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

In 2005, the telephone call center was closed the Friday after

Thanksgiving, so data were not collected about Thanksgiving

Day.

Major activity category definitions

The following definitions describe the activity categories

shown in this report. All major time-use categories in the tables

include related travel time and waiting time. For example, time

spent “driving to the stadium” and time spent “waiting to get
into the stadium to play ball” are included in Participating in

sports under Leisure and sports.

Personal care activities. Personal care activities include

sleeping, bathing, dressing, health-related self-care, and

personal or private activities. Receiving unpaid personal care

from others (for example, “my sister put polish on my nails”)

also is captured in this category. Respondents are not asked

who they were with or where they were for personal care

activities, as such information can be sensitive.

Eating and drinking. All time spent eating or drinking

(except when identified by the respondent as part of a work or

volunteer activity), whether alone, with others, at home, at a

place of purchase, in transit, or somewhere else, is classified

here. Time spent purchasing or talking related to purchasing

meals, snacks, or beverages is not counted as part of this

category; time spent doing these activities is counted in

Purchasing goods and services.

Household activities. Household activities are those done

by respondents to maintain their households. These include

housework; cooking; yard care; pet care; vehicle maintenance

and repair; and home maintenance, repair, decoration, and

renovation. Food preparation, whether or not reported as done

specifically for another household member, is always classified

as a household activity, unless the respondent identified it as

a volunteer, work, or income-generating activity. For example,

“making breakfast for my son” is coded as a household activity,

not as childcare. Household management and organizational

activities—such as filling out paperwork, balancing a checkbook,

or planning a party—also are included in this category.

Purchasing goods and services. This category includes the

purchase of consumer goods as well as the purchase or use of

professional and personal care services, household services,

and government services. Most purchases and rentals of

consumer goods, regardless of the mode or place of purchase

or rental (in person, via telephone, over the Internet, at home,

or in a store) are classified in this category. Gasoline, grocery,

other food purchases, and all other shopping are further broken

out in subcategories.

Time spent obtaining, receiving, and purchasing professional and personal care services provided by someone else

also is classified in this category. Professional services include

childcare, financial services and banking, legal services, medical

and adult care services, real estate services, and veterinary

services. Personal care services include day spas, hair salons

and barbershops, nail salons, and tanning salons. Activities

classified here include time respondents spent paying, meeting

with, or talking to service providers, as well as time spent

receiving the service or waiting to receive the service.

Time spent arranging for and purchasing household services

provided by someone else also is classified here. Household

services include housecleaning; cooking; lawn care and

landscaping; pet care; tailoring, laundering, and dry cleaning;

vehicle maintenance and repairs; and home repairs,

maintenance, and construction.

This category also captures the time spent obtaining

government services—such as applying for food stamps—and

purchasing government-required licenses or paying fines or fees.

Caring for and helping household members. Time spent

doing activities to care for or help any child or adult in the

respondent’s household, regardless of the relationship to the

respondent or the physical or mental health status of the person

being helped, are classified here. Caring for and helping

activities for household children and adults are coded

separately in subcategories. Household members are

considered children if they are under age 18.

Primary childcare activities include physical care; playing

with children; reading to children; assistance with homework;

attending children’s events; taking care of children’s health care

needs; and dropping off, picking up, and waiting for children.

Passive childcare done as a primary activity (such as “keeping

an eye on my son while he swam in the pool”) also is included.

A child’s presence during the respondent’s activity is not

enough in itself to classify the activity as childcare. For

example, “watching television with my child” is coded as a

leisure activity, not as childcare.

Secondary childcare is care for children that is done while

doing something else. For a complete definition, see the

Concepts and definitions section of this Technical Note.

Caring for and helping household members also includes a

range of activities done to benefit adult members of households,

such as providing physical and medical care or obtaining

medical services. Doing something as a favor for or helping

another household adult does not automatically result in

classification as a helping activity. For example, a report of

“helping my wife cook dinner” is considered a household

activity (food preparation), not a helping activity, because

cooking dinner benefits the household as a whole. By contrast,

doing paperwork for another person usually benefits the

individual, so a report of “filling out an insurance application

for my husband” is considered a helping activity.

Caring for and helping non-household members. Activities

done to care for and help any child or adult who is not part of

the respondent’s household, regardless of the relationship to

the respondent or the physical or mental health status of the

person being helped, are classified here. Caring for and helping

activities for non-household children and adults are coded

separately in subcategories. Non-household members are

considered children if they are under age 18. When done for

or through an organization, time spent helping non-household

individuals is classified as volunteering, rather than as helping

non-household members. Non-household childcare, even when

done as a favor or helping activity for another adult, is always
classified as non-household childcare, not as helping another

adult.

Working and work-related activities. This category

includes time spent working, doing activities as part of one’s

job, engaging in income-generating activities (not as part of

one’s job), and job search activities. “Working” includes hours

spent doing the specific tasks required of one’s main or other

job, regardless of location or time of day. Activities done

outside of regular work hours are classified as work if identified

by respondents as part of their jobs. “Work-related activities”

include activities that are not obviously work but are identified

by the respondent as being done as part of one’s job, such as

having a business lunch or playing golf with clients. “Other

income-generating activities” are those done “on the side” or

under informal arrangement and are not part of the respondent’s

regular job. Such activities might include selling homemade

crafts, babysitting, maintaining a rental property, or having a

yard sale. Respondents identify these activities as ones they

“are paid for or will be paid for.”

Travel time related to working and work-related activities

includes time spent commuting to and from one’s job, as well

as time spent traveling for work-related, income-generating, and

job search activities.

Educational activities. Educational activities include taking

classes (including Internet and other distance-learning

courses); doing research and homework; and taking care of

administrative tasks, such as registering for classes or obtaining

a school ID. For high school students, before- and after-school

extracurricular activities (except sports) also are classified as

educational activities. Activities are classified separately by

whether the educational activity was for a degree or for personal

interest. Educational activities do not include time spent for

classes or training that respondents identified as part of their

jobs. Time spent helping others with their education-related

activities is classified in the Caring for and helping categories.

Organizational, civic, and religious activities. This

category captures time spent volunteering for or through an

organization, performing civic obligations, and participating in

religious and spiritual activities. Civic obligations include

government-required duties, such as serving jury duty or

appearing in court, and activities that assist or influence

government processes, such as voting or attending town hall

meetings. Religious activities include those normally

associated with membership in or identification with specific

religions or denominations, such as attending religious

services; participating in choirs, youth groups, orchestras, or

unpaid teaching (unless identified as volunteer activities); and

engaging in personal religious practices, such as praying.

Leisure and sports. The leisure and sports category includes

sports, exercise, and recreation; socializing and communicating;

and other leisure activities. Socializing and communicating

includes face-to-face social communication and hosting or

attending social functions. Leisure activities include watching

television; reading; relaxing or thinking; playing computer, board,

or card games; using a computer or the Internet for personal

interest; playing or listening to music; and other activities, such

as attending arts, cultural, and entertainment events.

Telephone calls, mail, and e-mail. This category captures

telephone communication and handling household or personal

mail or e-mail. Telephone and Internet purchases are classified

in Purchasing goods and services. Telephone calls, mail, or email identified as related to work or volunteering are classified

as work or volunteering.

Other activities, not elsewhere classified. This residual

category includes security procedures related to traveling, not

associated with a specific activity category, ambiguous

activities that could not be coded, and missing activities.

Missing activities result when respondents did not remember

what they did for a period of time, or when they considered an

activity too private or personal to report.

Processing and estimation

After ATUS data are collected, they go through an editing

and imputation procedure. Responses to CPS questions that

are reasked in the ATUS go through the regular CPS edit and

imputation procedures. Some item nonresponses for questions

unique to the ATUS (such as where an activity took place or

how much time was spent doing secondary childcare) also are

imputed. Missing activities and missing values for who was

present during an activity are never imputed.

ATUS records are weighted to reduce bias in estimates due

to differences in sampling and response rates across

subpopulations and days of the week. Specifically, the data are

weighted to ensure the following:

• Weekdays represent about 5/7 of the weighted data, and

weekend days each represent about 1/7 for the population

as a whole. The actual proportions depend on the number

of weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays in a given month (in

2003 and 2004) and the number of weekdays and weekend

days in a given quarter (in 2005).

• The sum of the weights is equal to the number of persondays in the month (in 2003 and 2004) or the quarter (in 2005),

for the population as a whole and, in 2004 and 2005, for

selected subpopulations, too.

 Different methods were used to produce weights for the

2003, 2004, and 2005 data. In 2003, the ATUS weights add up

to the number of person-days in the month (or the number of

days in the month times the total population) only for the

population as a whole. In 2004 and 2005, the ATUS weights add

up to the number of person-days for selected subpopulations

as well as for the general population. The 2004 and 2005

weighting methods differ slightly from one another. In 2004,

ATUS weights add up to the number of persons-days in the
month for the selected subpopulations and for the population

as a whole. Weighted totals also correspond to the number of

weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays in each month. In 2005,

ATUS weights add up to the number of person-days in the

quarter rather than the month for these groups, and weighted

totals for the quarter correspond to the number of weekdays and

weekend days ratherthan Saturdays and Sundays separately.

Although there are differences in the 2004 and 2005

weighting methods, the 2004 and 2005 weights are comparable

and do not result in substantially different estimates. The 2004

weighting methodology, when applied to the 2003 data, had

little or no effect on the estimates presented in table 12.

Reliability of the estimates

Statistics based on the ATUS are subject to both sampling

and nonsampling error. When a sample, rather than the entire

population, is surveyed, there is a chance that the sample

estimates may differ from the “true” population values they

represent. The exact difference, or sampling error, varies

depending on the particular sample selected, and this variability

is measured by the standard error of the estimate. There is

about a 90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that an

estimate based on a sample will differ by no more than 1.6

standard errors from the “true” population value because of

sampling error. BLS analyses are generally conducted at the

90-percent level of confidence.

The ATUS data also are affected by nonsampling error.

Nonsampling error can occur for many reasons, including the

failure to sample a segment of the population, inability to obtain information for all respondents in the sample, inability

or unwillingness of respondents to provide correct information, and errors made in the collection or processing of the data.

Errors also could occur if nonresponse is correlated with

time use.
Table 1. Average hours per day spent in primary activities 1 for the total population and for persons reporting the act

the diary day by activity category and sex, 2005 annual averages

Activity

Hours per day, total population Percent of population reporting the activity on the diary day Hours per day, persons 

the activity on the di

Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men 

Total, all activities 2 ......................................................... 24.00 24.00 24.00 - - - - - 

 Personal care activities ................................................. 9.43 9.22 9.62 100.0 100.0 100.0 9.43 9.22  Sleeping ..................................................................... 8.63 8.54 8.70 99.9 99.9 100.0 8.63 8.55  Eating and drinking ....................................................... 1.24 1.30 1.19 97.1 97.4 96.8 1.28 1.33  Household activities ...................................................... 1.82 1.35 2.27 74.6 64.5 84.0 2.45 2.09  Housework ................................................................. .61 .24 .96 36.9 19.4 53.3 1.66 1.22  Food preparation and cleanup ................................... .51 .26 .75 52.0 37.1 66.0 .98 .70  Lawn and garden care ............................................... .20 .27 .14 10.4 11.8 9.0 1.95 2.28  Household management ........................................... .15 .12 .17 18.0 15.1 20.7 .81 .83  Purchasing goods and services .................................... .80 .63 .96 45.8 40.0 51.2 1.74 1.57  Consumer goods purchases ...................................... .41 .31 .50 41.4 36.0 46.5 .98 .85  Professional and personal care services ................... .08 .06 .11 8.9 6.7 10.9 .93 .83  Caring for and helping household members ................. .54 .34 .72 26.2 20.5 31.5 2.04 1.63  Caring for and helping household children ................ .42 .25 .57 22.2 16.4 27.7 1.88 1.51  Caring for and helping non-household members ......... .23 .21 .25 13.7 12.1 15.2 1.70 1.78  Caring for and helping non-household adults ............ .08 .08 .08 9.0 8.6 9.4 .87 .92  Working and work-related activities .............................. 3.69 4.44 3.00 46.1 52.6 40.1 8.01 8.45  Working ..................................................................... 3.35 4.02 2.73 44.5 50.9 38.6 7.52 7.89  Educational activities .................................................... .45 .47 .43 8.6 8.3 8.9 5.22 5.62  Attending class .......................................................... .27 .28 .25 6.0 6.1 5.9 4.45 4.61  Homework and research ........................................... .14 .15 .14 5.3 5.1 5.5 2.70 2.86  Organizational, civic, and religious activities ................ .31 .27 .35 13.3 11.7 14.9 2.31 2.30  Religious and spiritual activities ................................. .12 .10 .15 7.4 5.6 9.1 1.67 1.71  Volunteering (organizational and civic activities) ....... .14 .14 .15 7.3 7.0 7.7 1.97 1.98  Leisure and sports ........................................................ 5.14 5.50 4.80 96.4 96.7 96.1 5.33 5.69  Socializing and communicating ................................. .75 .71 .78 40.4 37.6 43.0 1.86 1.89  Watching television .................................................... 2.58 2.80 2.37 79.8 80.7 78.9 3.23 3.47  Participating in sports, exercise, and recreation ........ .29 .39 .20 17.5 19.4 15.7 1.67 1.98  Telephone calls, mail, and e-mail ................................. .18 .12 .23 24.3 18.0 30.2 .73 .69  Other activities, not elsewhere classified ...................... .17 .16 .18 12.3 11.4 13.3 1.37 1.39 

 1 Primary activities are those respondents identify as their main activity. Other activities done simultaneously are not included. 2 All major activity categories include related travel time. See Technical Note for activity category definitions.

NOTE: Data refer to respondents 15 years and over.
Table 2. Average hours per day spent in primary activities 1 for the total population and for

persons reporting the activity on the diary day by activity category and weekdays and weekends,2005 annual averages

Activity

Hours per day, total

population

Percent of population

reporting the activity on

diary day

Hours per day, persons

reporting the activity on

the diary day

Weekdays

Weekends

and

holidays 2

Weekdays

Weekends

and

holidays 2

Weekdays

Weekends

and

holidays 2

Total, all activities 3 ......................................................... 24.00 24.00 - - - -

 Personal care activities ................................................. 9.16 10.06 100.0 100.0 9.16 10.06 Sleeping ..................................................................... 8.34 9.30 100.0 99.9 8.34 9.32 Eating and drinking ....................................................... 1.20 1.35 97.3 96.8 1.23 1.39 Household activities ...................................................... 1.67 2.18 74.4 75.0 2.25 2.91 Housework ................................................................. .56 .73 35.4 40.4 1.59 1.80 Food preparation and cleanup ................................... .49 .56 52.9 49.8 .92 1.13 Lawn and garden care ............................................... .16 .29 9.6 12.1 1.70 2.44 Household management ........................................... .14 .17 18.1 17.6 .76 .94 Purchasing goods and services .................................... .74 .93 45.3 47.0 1.64 1.97 Consumer goods purchases ...................................... .34 .55 39.8 45.2 .86 1.22 Professional and personal care services ................... .10 .04 10.9 4.1 .93 .89 Caring for and helping household members ................. .58 .43 27.9 22.3 2.08 1.95 Caring for and helping household children ................ .44 .36 23.8 18.6 1.86 1.93 Caring for and helping non-household members ......... .21 .28 13.1 15.0 1.63 1.85 Caring for and helping non-household adults ............ .07 .11 8.6 10.0 .78 1.06 Working and work-related activities .............................. 4.71 1.28 56.3 21.9 8.36 5.85 Working ..................................................................... 4.28 1.13 54.6 20.6 7.85 5.47 Educational activities .................................................... .56 .19 9.8 5.7 5.68 3.34 Attending class .......................................................... .36 .04 7.7 2.2 4.76 1.79 Homework and research ........................................... .15 .14 6.0 3.7 2.45 3.69 Organizational, civic, and religious activities ................ .21 .53 10.7 19.8 2.01 2.70 Religious and spiritual activities ................................. .05 .30 4.1 15.2 1.21 1.97 Volunteering (organizational and civic activities) ....... .14 .16 7.3 7.4 1.86 2.22 Leisure and sports ........................................................ 4.60 6.43 96.0 97.4 4.79 6.60 Socializing and communicating ................................. .58 1.16 37.8 46.6 1.53 2.49 Watching television .................................................... 2.37 3.07 79.2 81.2 3.00 3.78 Participating in sports, exercise, and recreation ........ .27 .33 18.0 16.3 1.53 2.04 Telephone calls, mail, and e-mail ................................. .18 .16 25.9 20.6 .71 .80 Other activities, not elsewhere classified ...................... .17 .17 12.5 12.0 1.34 1.44

 1 Primary activities are those respondents identify as their main activity. Other activities done simultaneously are not included. 2 Holidays are New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. In 2005, data

were not collected about Thanksgiving Day.

 3 All major activity categories include related travel time. See Technical Note for activity category definitions.

NOTE: Data refer to respondents 15 years and over.
Table 3. Average hours per day spent in primary activities 1 for the total population, by age, sex, race, Hispanic or Lat

status, and educational attainment, 2005 annual averages

Characteristic

Hours per day spent in primary activities 2

Personal

care

activities

Eating and

drinking

Household

activities

Purchasing

goods and

services

Caring for

and

helping

household

members

Caring for

and

helping

nonhousehold

members

Working

and workrelated

activities

Educational activities

Organizational,

civic, and

religious

activities

L

an

Total, 15 years and over ....................... 9.43 1.24 1.82 0.80 0.54 0.23 3.69 0.45 0.31  15 to 24 years ..................................... 10.08 1.04 .91 .64 .35 .22 2.59 1.92 .30  25 to 34 years ..................................... 9.34 1.20 1.54 .83 1.08 .20 4.71 .34 .21  35 to 44 years ..................................... 9.16 1.19 1.90 .83 1.01 .17 4.88 .11 .28  45 to 54 years ..................................... 9.02 1.24 2.12 .76 .38 .23 5.09 .08 .29  55 to 64 years ..................................... 9.13 1.40 2.24 .84 .15 .36 3.72 5 ( ) .32 

 65 years and over ............................... 9.83 1.47 2.40 .91 .09 .26 .69 .04 .47  Men, 15 years and over ....................... 9.22 1.30 1.35 .63 .34 .21 4.44 .47 .27  15 to 24 years ..................................... 9.92 1.00 .75 .48 .14 .22 2.60 1.96 .34  25 to 34 years ..................................... 9.07 1.28 1.07 .61 .60 .23 5.69 5 ( ) .20  35 to 44 years ..................................... 9.06 1.26 1.34 .66 .64 .16 5.90 5 ( ) .22  45 to 54 years ..................................... 8.71 1.32 1.57 .57 .30 .18 6.19 5 ( ) .22  55 to 64 years ..................................... 8.95 1.55 1.80 .70 .12 .28 4.43 5 ( ) .25  65 years and over ............................... 9.63 1.53 1.80 .83 .09 .25 .88 5 ( ) .41  Women, 15 years and over ................. 9.62 1.19 2.27 .96 .72 .25 3.00 .43 .35  15 to 24 years ..................................... 10.24 1.07 1.08 .81 .56 .22 2.58 1.88 .27  25 to 34 years ..................................... 9.62 1.12 2.01 1.05 1.57 .17 3.74 .27 .22  35 to 44 years ..................................... 9.26 1.11 2.44 1.00 1.36 .18 3.88 .16 .34  45 to 54 years ..................................... 9.32 1.17 2.64 .95 .46 .27 4.04 .11 .37  55 to 64 years ..................................... 9.31 1.27 2.65 .97 .18 .43 3.07 5 ( ) .40  65 years and over ............................... 9.97 1.43 2.84 .97 .09 .27 .55 5 ( ) .51  White, 15 years and over ..................... 9.32 1.29 1.91 .81 .54 .24 3.74 .43 .29  Men ..................................................... 9.11 1.34 1.42 .64 .34 .22 4.54 .46 .25  Women ............................................... 9.52 1.23 2.37 .97 .72 .26 2.99 .40 .33  Black or African American, 15 years

and over .............................................. 10.09 .88 1.29 .73 .45 .23 3.30 .50 .47 

 Men ..................................................... 9.87 .93 .92 .56 .24 .24 3.57 5 ( ) .43  Women ............................................... 10.27 .84 1.60 .87 .63 .22 3.09 .55 .50  Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 15 years

and over .............................................. 9.78 1.18 1.75 .79 .65 .17 3.89 .44 .28 

 Men ..................................................... 9.59 1.18 .97 .69 .35 .16 5.04 5 ( ) .25  Women ............................................... 9.99 1.18 2.57 .90 .95 .18 2.67 .47 .31 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 3. Average hours per day spent in primary activities 1 for the total population, by age, sex, race, Hispanic or Lat

status, and educational attainment, 2005 annual averages — Continued

Characteristic

Hours per day spent in primary activities 2

Personal

care

activities

Eating and

drinking

Household

activities

Purchasing

goods and

services

Caring for

and

helping

household

members

Caring for

and

helping

nonhousehold

members

Working

and workrelated

activities

Educational activities

Organizational,

civic, and

religious

activities

L

an

Marital status and sex:

Married, spouse present ..................... 9.14 1.34 2.14 0.88 0.75 0.22 4.01 0.12 0.33 

Men ................................................... 8.93 1.40 1.54 .70 .51 .19 5.06 .10 .29 Women ............................................. 9.36 1.28 2.73 1.06 .98 .26 2.97 .15 .37 

Other marital statuses ........................ 9.77 1.13 1.44 .70 .28 .24 3.30 .85 .28 

Men ................................................... 9.60 1.16 1.09 .53 .10 .25 3.62 .96 .24 Women ............................................. 9.92 1.09 1.74 .84 .42 .24 3.03 .75 .32 

 Educational attainment, 25 years and

over:

Less than a high school diploma ........ 9.91 1.17 2.12 .75 .44 .17 2.62 5 ( ) .31 

High school graduates, no college 3 ... 9.48 1.23 2.11 .81 .44 .27 3.55 .06 .25 

Some college or associate degree ..... 9.05 1.26 2.03 .88 .63 .29 4.12 .21 .32 Bachelor’s degree and higher 4 .......... 9.00 1.43 1.87 .85 .74 .18 4.78 .18 .37 

 1 Primary activities are those respondents identify as their main activity. Other activities done simultaneously are not included. 2 All major activity categories include related travel time. See Technical Note for activity category definitions. 3 Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent. 4 Includes persons with bachelor’s, master’s, professional, and doctoral degrees.

5 Data not shown where base is less than 800,000.

NOTE: Unless otherwise specified, data refer to persons 15 years and over. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race, and, therefore

as by race.
Table 4. Average hours worked per day at all jobs by employed persons on weekdays and weekend days by selected

characteristics, 2005 annual averages(Numbers in thousands)

Characteristic

Employed persons

Total

employed

Worked on an average day Worked on an average weekday Worked on an 

Sunday, 

Number Percent Hours per day 2 Number 3 Percent Hours per day 2 Number 4 P

Full- and part-time status and sex

Total, 15 years and over 5 ........................................ 150,748 102,146 67.8 7.53 124,653 82.7 7.86 47,788  Full-time workers ................................................... 117,521 84,285 71.7 8.04 103,716 88.3 8.39 37,291  Part-time workers .................................................. 33,227 17,861 53.8 5.13 20,926 63.0 5.20 10,497  Men 5 ....................................................................... 79,988 56,302 70.4 7.90 68,486 85.6 8.26 27,144 

 Full-time workers ................................................... 68,598 50,167 73.1 8.27 61,384 89.5 8.65 23,283  Part-time workers .................................................. 11,390 6,135 53.9 4.85 7,093 62.3 4.85 3,861  Women 5 .................................................................. 70,760 45,844 64.8 7.08 56,181 79.4 7.37 20,620 

 Full-time workers ................................................... 48,923 34,117 69.7 7.69 42,337 86.5 8.02 13,985  Part-time workers .................................................. 21,837 11,727 53.7 5.28 13,832 63.3 5.38 6,633 

Multiple jobholding status

Single jobholders ...................................................... 135,474 90,399 66.7 7.53 111,479 82.3 7.83 38,647 Multiple jobholders .................................................... 15,274 11,746 76.9 7.57 13,201 86.4 8.13 8,696 

Educational attainment, 25 years and over

Less than a high school diploma .............................. 10,635 7,244 68.1 7.90 9,244 86.9 8.03 3,009 High school graduates, no college 6 ......................... 38,739 25,726 66.4 7.84 32,291 83.4 8.01 9,584 

Some college or associate degree ........................... 33,489 23,158 69.2 7.59 28,265 84.4 7.84 11,079 Bachelor’s degree and higher 7 ................................ 44,026 32,495 73.8 7.37 39,121 88.9 7.97 16,014 

 1 Holidays are New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. In 2005, data were not collected about Th 2 Includes work at main and other job(s), and excludes travel related to work. 3 Number was derived by multiplying the "Total employed" by the percent of employed persons who worked on an average weekday. 4 Number was derived by multiplying the "Total employed" by the percent of employed persons who worked on an average Saturday, Sunday, and holiday. 5 Includes workers whose hours vary. 6 Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent. 7 Includes persons with bachelor’s, master’s, professional, and doctoral degrees.

NOTE: Unless otherwise specified, data refer to persons 15 years and over.
Table 5. Average hours worked per day at main job only by employed persons on weekdays and weekend days by se

characteristics, 2005 annual averages(Numbers in thousands)

Characteristic

Employed persons

Total

employed

Worked on an average day Worked on an average weekday Worked on an 

Sunday, 

Number Percent Hours per day 2 Number 3 Percent Hours per day 2 Number 4 P

Class of worker (main job only)

Wage and salary workers ......................................... 138,354 91,574 66.2 7.55 113,696 82.2 7.85 38,623 Self-employed workers ............................................. 12,154 8,640 71.1 6.74 9,950 81.9 7.10 5,176 

Occupation (main job only)

Management, business, and financial operations .... 22,156 16,437 74.2 7.66 20,223 91.3 8.14 6,968 Professional and related ........................................... 31,532 21,365 67.8 7.23 26,375 83.6 7.78 9,801 Services .................................................................... 23,699 14,177 59.8 6.94 16,735 70.6 7.01 8,584 Sales and related ...................................................... 17,502 12,117 69.2 7.40 13,935 79.6 7.70 6,919 Office and administrative support ............................. 20,721 12,977 62.6 7.20 17,032 82.2 7.37 3,321 Farming, fishing, and forestry ................................... 1,578 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 

Construction and extraction ...................................... 9,073 6,120 67.5 8.13 7,877 86.8 8.36 6 ( ) Installation, maintenance, and repair ........................ 5,197 3,583 68.9 8.44 4,412 84.9 8.62 6 ( ) Production ................................................................ 10,878 7,208 66.3 7.89 9,324 85.7 7.97 2,265 Transportation and material moving ......................... 8,413 5,236 62.2 8.01 6,550 77.9 8.19 2,150 

Earnings of full time wage and salary workers

(main job only) 5

0 - $450 .................................................................... 27,781 18,149 65.3 7.81 22,860 82.3 7.99 7,598 $451 - $700 .............................................................. 27,279 19,173 70.3 7.93 24,617 90.2 8.07 5,903 $701 - $1,075 ........................................................... 23,863 16,201 67.9 7.99 20,366 85.3 8.35 5,863 $1,076 and higher ..................................................... 26,594 19,563 73.6 7.99 24,039 90.4 8.59 8,927 

 1 Holidays are New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. In 2005, data were not collected about Th 2 Includes work at main job only, and excludes travel related to work. 3 Number was derived by multiplying the "Total employed" by the percent of employed persons who worked on an average weekday. 4 Number was derived by multiplying the "Total employed" by the percent of employed persons who worked on an average Saturday, Sunday, and holiday. 5 These values are based on usual weekly earnings. Each earnings range represents approximately 25 percent of full-time wage and salary workers. 6 Data not shown where base is less than 800,000.

NOTE: Unless otherwise specified, data refer to persons 15 years and over.
Table 6. Average hours worked per day at all jobs by employed persons at workplace or home by selected character

annual averages(Numbers in thousands)

Characteristic Total employed

Employed persons who reported working on the diary day 1

Number Percent Hours of work

Location of work 2

Persons who reported working at

workplace on diary day

Persons who 

home on 

Number Percent

Hours of

work at

workplace

Number P

Full- and part-time status and sex

Total, 15 years and over 4 ........................................ 150,748 102,146 67.8 7.53 89,154 87.3 7.81 20,048  Full-time workers ................................................... 117,521 84,285 71.7 8.04 74,904 88.9 8.23 16,142  Part-time workers .................................................. 33,227 17,861 53.8 5.13 14,251 79.8 5.61 3,906  Men 4 ....................................................................... 79,988 56,302 70.4 7.90 49,417 87.8 8.13 11,781 

 Full-time workers ................................................... 68,598 50,167 73.1 8.27 44,759 89.2 8.42 10,308  Part-time workers .................................................. 11,390 6,135 53.9 4.85 4,658 75.9 5.31 1,472  Women 4 .................................................................. 70,760 45,844 64.8 7.08 39,737 86.7 7.41 8,267 

 Full-time workers ................................................... 48,923 34,117 69.7 7.69 30,145 88.4 7.93 5,834  Part-time workers .................................................. 21,837 11,727 53.7 5.28 9,593 81.8 5.76 2,434 

Multiple jobholding status

Single jobholders ...................................................... 135,474 90,399 66.7 7.53 79,492 87.9 7.80 16,376 Multiple jobholders .................................................... 15,274 11,746 76.9 7.57 9,663 82.3 7.90 3,672 

Educational attainment, 25 years and over

Less than a high school diploma .............................. 10,635 7,244 68.1 7.90 6,798 93.9 7.95 7 ( ) 

High school graduates, no college 5 ......................... 38,739 25,726 66.4 7.84 23,694 92.1 7.95 2,907 

Some college or associate degree ........................... 33,489 23,158 69.2 7.59 19,877 85.8 7.90 4,676 Bachelor’s degree and higher 6 ................................ 44,026 32,495 73.8 7.37 26,196 80.6 7.88 11,120 

 1 Includes work at main and other job(s) and at locations other than home or workplace. Excludes travel related to work. 2 Respondents can report working at more than one location during the diary day. 3 "Working at home" includes any time the respondent reported doing activities that were identified as "part of one’s job," and is not restricted to persons whose usual wo 4 Includes workers whose hours vary. 5 Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent. 6 Includes persons with bachelor’s, master’s, professional, and doctoral degrees. 7 Data not shown where base is less than 800,000.

NOTE: Unless otherwise specified, data refer to respondents 15 years and over.
Table 7. Average hours worked per day at main job only by employed persons at workplace or home by selected cha

2005 annual averages(Numbers in thousands)

Characteristic Total employed

Employed persons who reported working on the diary day 1

Number Percent Hours of work

Location of work 2

Persons who reported working at

workplace on diary day

Persons who 

home on 

Number Percent

Hours of

work at

workplace

Number P

Class of worker (main job only)

Wage and salary workers ......................................... 138,354 91,574 66.2 7.55 82,519 90.1 7.81 14,118 Self-employed workers ............................................. 12,154 8,640 71.1 6.74 5,229 60.5 7.24 4,245 

Occupation (main job only)

Management, business, and financial operations .... 22,156 16,437 74.2 7.66 12,968 78.9 8.20 5,031 Professional and related ........................................... 31,532 21,365 67.8 7.23 17,618 82.5 7.82 5,999 Services .................................................................... 23,699 14,177 59.8 6.94 12,628 89.1 7.14 1,634 Sales and related ...................................................... 17,502 12,117 69.2 7.40 10,654 87.9 7.57 2,400 Office and administrative support ............................. 20,721 12,977 62.6 7.20 12,168 93.8 7.44 1,224 Farming, fishing, and forestry ................................... 1,578 5 ( ) 5 ( ) 5 ( ) 5 ( ) 5 ( ) 5 ( ) 5 ( ) 

Construction and extraction ...................................... 9,073 6,120 67.5 8.13 5,743 93.8 8.09 5 ( ) Installation, maintenance, and repair ........................ 5,197 3,583 68.9 8.44 3,411 95.2 8.49 5 ( ) Production ................................................................ 10,878 7,208 66.3 7.89 6,827 94.7 7.81 5 ( ) Transportation and material moving ......................... 8,413 5,236 62.2 8.01 4,915 93.9 8.20 5 ( ) 

Earnings of full time wage and salary workers

(main job only) 4

0 - $450 .................................................................... 27,781 18,149 65.3 7.81 16,976 93.5 7.90 1,230 $451 - $700 .............................................................. 27,279 19,173 70.3 7.93 17,990 93.8 8.14 1,823 $701 - $1,075 ........................................................... 23,863 16,201 67.9 7.99 14,845 91.6 8.29 2,435 $1,076 and higher ..................................................... 26,594 19,563 73.6 7.99 16,729 85.5 8.45 5,236 

 1 Includes work at main and other job(s) and at locations other than home or workplace. Excludes travel related to work. 2 Respondents can report working at more than one location during the diary day. 3 "Working at home" includes any time the respondent reported doing activities that were identified as "part of one’s job," and is not restricted to persons whose usual wo 4 These values are based on usual weekly earnings. Each earnings range represents approximately 25 percent of full-time wage and salary workers. 5 Data not shown where base is less than 800,000.

NOTE: Unless otherwise specified, data refer to respondents 15 years and over.
Table 8. Average hours per day spent in primary activities 1 for the total population ages 18 years and older by activit

category, employment status, presence and age of household children, and sex, 2005 annual averages

Total

Activity

Hours per day spent in primary activities

Household children under 6 Household children 6-17 No household children 

Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men 

Total, all activities 2 ......................................................... 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 

 Personal care activities ................................................. 9.28 9.01 9.50 9.23 9.02 9.41 9.44 9.24  Sleeping ..................................................................... 8.59 8.41 8.73 8.47 8.38 8.56 8.59 8.54  Eating and drinking ....................................................... 1.17 1.26 1.10 1.19 1.28 1.11 1.31 1.35  Household activities ...................................................... 1.89 1.17 2.46 1.92 1.32 2.45 1.90 1.49  Housework ................................................................. .76 .26 1.15 .70 .27 1.07 .58 .23  Food preparation and cleanup ................................... .67 .28 .97 .57 .27 .84 .49 .27  Lawn and garden care ............................................... .12 .18 .08 .18 .26 .12 .25 .32  Household management ........................................... .11 .09 .12 .16 .13 .19 .16 .14  Purchasing goods and services .................................... .85 .70 .96 .83 .62 1.03 .80 .64  Consumer goods purchases ...................................... .47 .38 .54 .42 .29 .55 .39 .31  Professional and personal care services ................... .07 .06 .09 .07 .06 .08 .09 .06  Caring for and helping household members ................. 1.98 1.31 2.50 .84 .52 1.13 .06 .05  Caring for and helping household children ................ 1.75 1.17 2.22 .62 .36 .85 – –  Caring for and helping non-household members ......... .14 .13 .15 .19 .18 .19 .28 .26  Caring for and helping non-household adults ............ .06 .06 .06 .07 .08 .06 .09 .09  Working and work-related activities .............................. 3.98 5.58 2.72 4.48 5.60 3.50 3.62 4.15  Working ..................................................................... 3.60 5.01 2.48 4.04 5.01 3.18 3.30 3.78  Educational activities .................................................... .23 3 ( ) .27 .33 .32 .33 .23 .26 

 Attending class .......................................................... .11 3 ( ) .13 .19 3 ( ) .18 .09 .10 

 Homework and research ........................................... .10 3 ( ) 3 ( ) .11 3 ( ) .12 .12 .14  Organizational, civic, and religious activities ................ .25 .24 .26 .33 .26 .39 .31 .26  Religious and spiritual activities ................................. .11 .07 .13 .12 .08 .15 .13 .10  Volunteering (organizational and civic activities) ....... .11 .13 .09 .17 .15 .19 .13 .12  Leisure and sports ........................................................ 3.99 4.27 3.77 4.39 4.70 4.13 5.66 5.98  Socializing and communicating ................................. .83 .80 .86 .71 .73 .70 .73 .67  Watching television .................................................... 2.04 2.19 1.92 2.16 2.30 2.04 2.90 3.15  Participating in sports, exercise, and recreation ........ .20 .26 .16 .26 .33 .19 .29 .37  Telephone calls, mail, and e-mail ................................. .09 .03 .13 .13 .08 .17 .20 .14  Other activities, not elsewhere classified ...................... .15 .13 .18 .14 .11 .17 .19 .18 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 8. Average hours per day spent in primary activities 1 for the total population ages 18 years and older by activit

category, employment status, presence and age of household children, and sex, 2005 annual averages — Continued

Employed

Activity

Hours per day spent in primary activities

Household children under 6 Household children 6-17 No household children 

Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men 

Total, all activities 2 ......................................................... 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 

 Personal care activities ................................................. 9.11 8.90 9.37 8.97 8.76 9.19 9.14 8.99  Sleeping ..................................................................... 8.40 8.29 8.53 8.24 8.16 8.33 8.32 8.28  Eating and drinking ....................................................... 1.19 1.28 1.09 1.20 1.32 1.07 1.29 1.35  Household activities ...................................................... 1.52 1.11 2.01 1.70 1.29 2.13 1.52 1.27  Housework ................................................................. .54 .24 .89 .58 .25 .93 .44 .21  Food preparation and cleanup ................................... .51 .27 .79 .48 .26 .72 .35 .23  Lawn and garden care ............................................... .14 .18 .09 .18 .26 .09 .20 .27  Household management ........................................... .10 .08 .12 .15 .12 .18 .12 .11  Purchasing goods and services .................................... .80 .67 .95 .77 .58 .96 .72 .58  Consumer goods purchases ...................................... .44 .36 .53 .38 .27 .50 .35 .28  Professional and personal care services ................... .07 .06 .09 .07 .05 .08 .08 .05  Caring for and helping household members ................. 1.70 1.31 2.17 .74 .50 .99 .04 .05  Caring for and helping household children ................ 1.49 1.16 1.88 .54 .36 .74 – –  Caring for and helping non-household members ......... .11 .11 .11 .18 .18 .19 .25 .22  Caring for and helping non-household adults ............ .05 .06 .04 .07 .08 .07 .08 .08  Working and work-related activities .............................. 5.33 6.12 4.41 5.67 6.46 4.84 5.79 6.17  Working ..................................................................... 4.84 5.51 4.06 5.17 5.85 4.46 5.32 5.65  Educational activities .................................................... .11 3 ( ) 3 ( ) .27 3 ( ) .26 .21 .20 

 Attending class .......................................................... 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) .15 3 ( ) 3 ( ) .07 3 ( ) 

 Homework and research ........................................... 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) .10 3 ( ) 3 ( ) .12 3 ( )  Organizational, civic, and religious activities ................ .24 .24 .24 .33 .27 .39 .23 .21  Religious and spiritual activities ................................. .10 .08 .14 .11 .08 .14 .10 .08  Volunteering (organizational and civic activities) ....... .10 .12 .07 .18 .16 .20 .09 .10  Leisure and sports ........................................................ 3.69 4.02 3.30 3.92 4.19 3.64 4.52 4.73  Socializing and communicating ................................. .73 .73 .72 .63 .64 .63 .66 .60  Watching television .................................................... 1.88 2.05 1.67 1.91 2.05 1.76 2.27 2.46  Participating in sports, exercise, and recreation ........ .21 .25 .16 .25 .32 .18 .27 .34  Telephone calls, mail, and e-mail ................................. .07 .04 .10 .12 .08 .17 .17 .13  Other activities, not elsewhere classified ...................... .12 .11 .13 .13 .10 .17 .14 .12 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 8. Average hours per day spent in primary activities 1 for the total population ages 18 years and older by activit

category, employment status, presence and age of household children, and sex, 2005 annual averages — Continued

Not employed

Activity

Hours per day spent in primary activities

Household children under 6 Household children 6-17 No household children 

Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men 

Total, all activities 2 ......................................................... 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 

 Personal care activities ................................................. 9.76 10.05 9.71 10.12 10.47 9.96 9.93 9.75  Sleeping ..................................................................... 9.13 9.62 9.04 9.29 9.60 9.15 9.04 9.05  Eating and drinking ....................................................... 1.10 1.03 1.11 1.15 1.06 1.20 1.35 1.36  Household activities ...................................................... 2.94 1.80 3.16 2.68 1.49 3.23 2.53 1.94  Housework ................................................................. 1.38 3 ( ) 1.56 1.09 3 ( ) 1.45 .82 .26 

 Food preparation and cleanup ................................... 1.13 3 ( ) 1.26 .88 .29 1.15 .70 .36 

 Lawn and garden care ............................................... .08 3 ( ) 3 ( ) .21 3 ( ) .18 .32 .42 

 Household management ........................................... .13 3 ( ) .12 .21 3 ( ) .23 .23 .21  Purchasing goods and services .................................... .98 3 ( ) .98 1.07 .82 1.19 .93 .77 

 Consumer goods purchases ...................................... .56 3 ( ) .55 .58 .39 .67 .45 .35  Professional and personal care services ................... .08 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) .12 .08 

 Caring for and helping household members ................. 2.75 1.38 3.00 1.19 .61 1.46 .09 .06  Caring for and helping household children ................ 2.51 1.27 2.74 .90 .39 1.14 – –  Caring for and helping non-household members ......... .22 3 ( ) .20 .20 3 ( ) .20 .34 .33  Caring for and helping non-household adults ............ 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) .06 3 ( ) 3 ( ) .11 .11  Working and work-related activities .............................. 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) .09 3 ( ) 

 Working ..................................................................... 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( )  Educational activities .................................................... .56 3 ( ) 3 ( ) .53 3 ( ) 3 ( ) .26 3 ( ) 

 Attending class .......................................................... 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) .12 3 ( )  Homework and research ........................................... 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 3 ( ) 

 Organizational, civic, and religious activities ................ .29 3 ( ) .29 .33 3 ( ) .39 .43 .37 

 Religious and spiritual activities ................................. .12 3 ( ) .13 .15 3 ( ) .17 .17 .14  Volunteering (organizational and civic activities) ....... .14 3 ( ) .13 .15 3 ( ) .18 .20 .18  Leisure and sports ........................................................ 4.85 6.75 4.50 6.06 7.59 5.35 7.53 8.47  Socializing and communicating ................................. 1.12 3 ( ) 1.07 1.00 1.24 .89 .84 .81 

 Watching television .................................................... 2.52 3.57 2.32 3.06 3.71 2.76 3.91 4.52  Participating in sports, exercise, and recreation ........ .18 3 ( ) .14 .27 3 ( ) .22 .30 .43 

 Telephone calls, mail, and e-mail ................................. .16 3 ( ) .19 .16 3 ( ) .19 .26 .17  Other activities, not elsewhere classified ...................... .26 3 ( ) .26 .17 3 ( ) .16 .26 .31 

 1 Primary activities are those respondents identify as their main activity. Other activities done simultaneously are not included. 2 All major activity categories include related travel time. See Technical Note for activity category definitions.

3 Data not shown where base is less than 800,000.

– Data not available.
Table 9. Average hours per day spent by persons 18 years and over caring for household children

under 18 years, by sex of respondent and age of youngest household child, 2005 annual averages

Childcare activities

Hours per day spent caring for household children

Total Men Women

Persons in households with children under 18, total:

Caring for household children as a primary activity ................................ 1.32 0.82 1.73

Physical care ........................................................................................ .44 .23 .61Education-related activities ................................................................... .10 .06 .14Reading to/with children ....................................................................... .04 .02 .06Talking to/with children ......................................................................... .05 .03 .08Playing/doing hobbies with children ..................................................... .24 .21 .27Looking after children ........................................................................... .08 .07 .10Attending children’s events ................................................................... .06 .06 .07Travel related to care of household children ........................................ .18 .10 .24Other childcare activities ...................................................................... .12 .05 .18Persons in households with youngest child 6 to 17 years:

Caring for household children as a primary activity ............................ .80 .46 1.09

Physical care .................................................................................... .14 .06 .21Education-related activities ............................................................... .13 .07 .17Reading to/with children ................................................................... .02 1 ( ) .03

Talking to/with children ..................................................................... .07 .03 .10Playing/doing hobbies with children ................................................. .05 .05 .05Looking after children ....................................................................... .04 1 ( ) .05Attending children’s events ............................................................... .08 .07 .09Travel related to care of household children .................................... .17 .10 .24Other childcare activities .................................................................. .09 .04 .15

Persons in households with youngest child under 6:

Caring for household children as a primary activity ............................ 1.94 1.28 2.46

Physical care .................................................................................... .79 .45 1.06Education-related activities ............................................................... .07 1 ( ) .10Reading to/with children ................................................................... .06 .04 .09Talking to/with children ..................................................................... .03 1 ( ) .05Playing/doing hobbies with children ................................................. .47 .41 .51Looking after children ....................................................................... .14 .12 .15Attending children’s events ............................................................... .04 1 ( ) .04Travel related to care of household children .................................... .19 .11 .25Other childcare activities .................................................................. .15 .06 .21

1 Data not shown where base is less than 800,000.

NOTE: Universe includes respondents 18 years and over living in households with children under 18 years, even if they did not report doing

childcare on the diary day.
Table 10. Average hours per day spent by persons 18 years and over caring for household children

under 13 as a secondary activity, by sex of respondent and age of youngest child, 2005 annual averages

Childcare activities 1

Hours per day spent caring for household children 2

Total Men Women

Persons in households with children under 13, total .............................................. 5.42 4.19 6.38

Caring for household children as a secondary activity in conjunction with:

Personal care activities ..................................................................................... .29 .20 .36Household activities .......................................................................................... 1.29 .69 1.76Purchasing goods and services ........................................................................ .41 .26 .52Working and work-related activities .................................................................. .19 .18 .19Eating and drinking ........................................................................................... .67 .59 .73Leisure and sports ............................................................................................ 2.17 2.01 2.29Other activities .................................................................................................. .40 .25 .52Persons in households with children 6 to 12, total ........................................... 4.87 3.93 5.59

Caring for household children as a secondary activity in conjunction with:

Personal care activities ................................................................................. .26 .17 .33Household activities ...................................................................................... 1.17 .75 1.49Purchasing goods and services .................................................................... .29 .19 .36Working and work-related activities .............................................................. .19 .19 .19Eating and drinking ....................................................................................... .57 .51 .62Leisure and sports ........................................................................................ 2.02 1.87 2.13Other activities .............................................................................................. .37 .25 .47

Persons in households with children under 6, total .......................................... 5.80 4.36 6.94

Caring for household children as a secondary activity in conjunction with:

Personal care activities ................................................................................. .31 .21 .39Household activities ...................................................................................... 1.38 .66 1.95Purchasing goods and services .................................................................... .49 .31 .64Working and work-related activities .............................................................. .18 .17 .19Eating and drinking ....................................................................................... .74 .65 .80Leisure and sports ........................................................................................ 2.28 2.11 2.41Other activities .............................................................................................. .43 .25 .56

 1 All major activity categories include related travel time. See Technical Note for activity category definitions. 2 Secondary childcare time is defined as time one has a child under 13 "in his or her care" while doing something else as a main activity; information on

secondary childcare is not collected for children over 12 years. Estimates include a small amount of care provided to own, non-household children.

NOTE: Universe includes all respondents 18 years and over living in households with children under 13 years, even if they did not report doing any

childcare on the diary day.
Table 11. Average hours per day spent in leisure and sports activities for the total population by selected characteris

averages

Characteristic

Hours per day spent in leisure and sports activities

Total, all leisure and

sports activities

Participating in

sports,

exercise, and

recreation

Socializing andcommunicating Watching TV Reading Relaxing/ thinking P

a

u

Total,

all

days

Weekdays

Weekends

and

holidays 2

Weekdays

Weekends

and

holidays 2

Weekdays

Weekends

and

holidays 2

Weekdays

Weekends

and

holidays 2

Weekdays

Weekends

and

holidays 2

Weekdays

Weekends

and

holidays 2

W

d

Sex

Men ....................................................... 5.50 4.83 7.10 0.34 0.49 0.55 1.09 2.51 3.47 0.29 0.38 0.34 0.40 Women ................................................. 4.80 4.39 5.80 .21 .18 .60 1.22 2.24 2.68 .39 .52 .30 .29 

Age

Total, 15 years and over ....................... 5.14 4.60 6.43 .27 .33 .58 1.16 2.37 3.07 .34 .45 .32 .35  15 to 24 years .................................... 5.55 5.03 6.82 .51 .57 .77 1.51 2.18 2.66 .14 .16 .19 .21  25 to 34 years .................................... 4.29 3.55 5.91 .24 .29 .53 1.21 1.94 2.89 .13 .20 .17 .25  35 to 44 years .................................... 4.19 3.59 5.59 .22 .29 .50 1.15 1.91 2.72 .21 .30 .20 .21  45 to 54 years .................................... 4.50 3.84 6.15 .20 .35 .47 1.03 2.12 3.17 .30 .37 .25 .31  55 to 64 years .................................... 5.40 4.87 6.66 .22 .27 .56 1.09 2.59 3.27 .43 .68 .41 .39  65 years and over .............................. 7.31 7.11 7.81 .25 .19 .65 .91 3.73 3.89 .92 1.18 .77 .80 

Race and Hispanic or Latino

ethnicity

White .................................................... 5.08 4.53 6.42 .28 .35 .58 1.18 2.30 2.98 .36 .49 .28 .33 Black or African American .................... 5.69 5.29 6.63 .21 .25 .67 1.04 2.92 3.82 .24 .15 .59 .52 Hispanic or Latino ethnicity ................... 4.80 4.18 6.16 .20 .30 .58 1.53 2.50 2.96 .12 .20 .25 .29 

Employment status

Employed .............................................. 4.23 3.55 5.87 .23 .36 .47 1.15 1.84 2.72 .22 .34 .23 .27  Full-time workers ............................... 4.06 3.31 5.86 .21 .38 .43 1.13 1.75 2.77 .21 .33 .22 .27  Part-time workers .............................. 4.84 4.41 5.89 .31 .27 .62 1.23 2.14 2.56 .27 .38 .24 .25 Not employed ....................................... 6.86 6.60 7.47 .36 .28 .78 1.17 3.40 3.70 .57 .66 .50 .49 

Earnings of full time wage and

salary workers 3

0 - $450 ................................................ 4.34 3.68 5.82 .17 .30 .51 1.26 1.95 2.85 .18 .19 .30 .23 $451 - $700 .......................................... 4.24 3.52 6.01 .23 .28 .41 1.15 1.90 3.02 .19 .27 .27 .37 $701 - $1,075 ....................................... 4.10 3.38 5.88 .21 .43 .50 1.17 1.76 2.64 .20 .38 .16 .24 $1,076 and higher ................................. 3.72 2.85 5.79 .25 .54 .30 .90 1.51 2.63 .25 .46 .15 .23 See footnotes at end of table.
Table 11. Average hours per day spent in leisure and sports activities for the total population by selected characteris

averages — Continued

Characteristic

Hours per day spent in leisure and sports activities

Total, all leisure and

sports activities

Participating in

sports,

exercise, and

recreation

Socializing andcommunicating Watching TV Reading Relaxing/ thinking P

a

u

Total,

all

days

Weekdays

Weekends

and

holidays 2

Weekdays

Weekends

and

holidays 2

Weekdays

Weekends

and

holidays 2

Weekdays

Weekends

and

holidays 2

Weekdays

Weekends

and

holidays 2

Weekdays

Weekends

and

holidays 2

W

d

Presence and age of children

No household children under 18 ........... 5.66 5.13 6.91 0.29 0.32 0.57 1.12 2.68 3.34 0.44 0.59 0.38 0.43 Household children under 18 ................ 4.37 3.80 5.72 .26 .34 .59 1.22 1.92 2.66 .19 .25 .22 .22  Children 13 to 17 years, none

younger ........................................... 4.90 4.44 6.14 .35 .32 .60 1.19 2.13 2.95 .26 .30 .23 .21 

 Children 6 to 12 years, none

younger ........................................... 4.37 3.74 5.81 .27 .42 .53 1.10 1.83 2.64 .20 .29 .25 .26 

 Youngest child under 6 years ............ 4.07 3.48 5.43 .19 .30 .64 1.33 1.87 2.53 .14 .18 .20 .20 

Marital status and sex

Married, spouse present ....................... 4.75 4.18 6.13 .23 .29 .54 1.17 2.20 2.91 .33 .52 .30 .35  Men .................................................... 5.04 4.37 6.71 .25 .43 .48 1.07 2.36 3.34 .31 .47 .37 .43  Women .............................................. 4.46 3.99 5.57 .20 .16 .60 1.26 2.04 2.49 .35 .56 .23 .27 Other marital statuses .......................... 5.61 5.11 6.79 .33 .38 .63 1.15 2.58 3.25 .35 .37 .34 .34  Men .................................................... 6.11 5.45 7.57 .46 .56 .65 1.12 2.72 3.64 .25 .27 .31 .37  Women .............................................. 5.19 4.83 6.06 .22 .21 .61 1.18 2.47 2.90 .44 .47 .37 .32 

Educational attainment, 25 years

and over

Less than a high school diploma .......... 6.16 5.82 6.90 .21 .16 .56 1.17 3.36 3.92 .33 .23 .84 .68 

High school graduates, no college 4 ..... 5.50 4.95 6.83 .17 .26 .58 1.09 2.79 3.67 .35 .43 .42 .48 

Some college or associate degree ....... 4.87 4.35 6.08 .23 .24 .57 1.12 2.32 2.96 .37 .49 .24 .26 Bachelor’s degree and higher 5 ............ 4.22 3.58 5.78 .29 .40 .45 1.00 1.68 2.36 .45 .76 .15 .21 

 1 Includes other leisure and sports activities, not elsewhere classified, and travel related to leisure and sports activities. 2 Holidays are New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. In 2005, data were not collected about Th 3 These values are based on usual weekly earnings. Each earnings range represents approximately 25 percent of full-time wage and salary workers. 4 Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent. 5 Includes persons with bachelor’s, master’s, professional, and doctoral degrees. 6 Data not shown where base is less than 800,000.

NOTE: Unless otherwise specified, data refer to respondents 15 years and over. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race and, theref

as well as by race.
Table 12. Average hours per day spent in primary activities 1 for the total population by activity category, 2003, 2004, 

averages

(Not seasonally adjusted)

Activity

Quarterly averages

I II III

2003 2004 2005 2003 2004 2005 2003 2004 

Total, all activities 2 ......................................................... 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 

 Personal care activities ................................................. 9.39 9.43 9.50 9.27 9.34 9.36 9.35 9.33  Sleeping ..................................................................... 8.65 8.64 8.67 8.49 8.59 8.53 8.53 8.54  Eating and drinking ....................................................... 1.14 1.24 1.24 1.26 1.29 1.27 1.21 1.25  Household activities ...................................................... 1.73 1.74 1.66 1.92 1.90 1.96 1.88 1.88  Housework ................................................................. .63 .59 .60 .60 .61 .59 .60 .61  Food preparation and cleanup ................................... .56 .56 .52 .52 .49 .48 .52 .50  Lawn and garden care ............................................... .08 .08 .08 .34 .31 .36 .26 .26  Household management ........................................... .12 .13 .15 .13 .15 .14 .13 .13  Purchasing goods and services .................................... .76 .78 .73 .82 .78 .81 .82 .81  Consumer purchases ................................................ .37 .38 .37 .39 .37 .40 .38 .40  Professional and personal care services ................... .10 .09 .08 .10 .09 .09 .10 .08  Caring for and helping household members ................. .56 .56 .56 .52 .54 .54 .52 .56  Caring for and helping household children ................ .44 .43 .44 .39 .41 .42 .37 .44  Caring for and helping non-household members ......... .24 .23 .22 .31 .31 .24 .31 .29  Caring for and helping non-household adults ............ .09 .08 .07 .12 .11 .09 .12 .14  Working and work-related activities .............................. 3.60 3.45 3.68 3.81 3.76 3.71 3.75 3.64  Working ..................................................................... 3.25 3.10 3.33 3.43 3.43 3.37 3.38 3.28  Educational activities .................................................... .56 .66 .55 .43 .45 .44 .33 .28  Attending class .......................................................... .35 .42 .34 .26 .28 .27 .18 .16  Homework and research ........................................... .15 .19 .17 .12 .13 .12 .10 .08  Organizational, civic, and religious activities ................ .30 .33 .33 .31 .33 .31 .33 .31  Religious and spiritual activities ................................. .14 .12 .13 .13 .13 .11 .16 .13  Volunteering (organizational and civic activities) ....... .12 .16 .15 .14 .16 .16 .14 .14  Leisure and sports ........................................................ 5.26 5.23 5.23 4.99 4.97 5.04 5.13 5.35  Socializing and communicating ................................. .71 .65 .73 .83 .76 .70 .85 .87  Watching television .................................................... 2.84 2.83 2.78 2.39 2.43 2.45 2.40 2.54  Participating in sports, exercise, and recreation ........ .26 .25 .22 .29 .32 .35 .38 .32  Telephone calls, mail, and e-mail ................................. .20 .19 .18 .17 .19 .16 .19 .16  Other activities, not elsewhere classified ...................... .26 .17 .13 .18 .14 .15 .19 .13 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 12. Average hours per day spent in primary activities 1 for the total population by activity

category, 2003, 2004, and 2005 averages — Continued

(Not seasonally adjusted)

Activity

Quarterly averages Annual averages

IV

2003 2004 2005

2003 2004 2005

Total, all activities 2 ......................................................... 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00

 Personal care activities ................................................. 9.36 9.27 9.43 9.34 9.34 9.43 Sleeping ..................................................................... 8.60 8.47 8.66 8.57 8.56 8.63 Eating and drinking ....................................................... 1.22 1.19 1.21 1.21 1.24 1.24 Household activities ...................................................... 1.81 1.70 1.77 1.83 1.80 1.82 Housework ................................................................. .63 .56 .63 .62 .59 .61 Food preparation and cleanup ................................... .53 .50 .54 .53 .51 .51 Lawn and garden care ............................................... .12 .14 .14 .20 .19 .20 Household management ........................................... .15 .14 .15 .13 .14 .15 Purchasing goods and services .................................... .84 .88 .86 .81 .81 .80 Consumer purchases ................................................ .46 .47 .45 .40 .41 .41 Professional and personal care services ................... .08 .09 .09 .09 .09 .08 Caring for and helping household members ................. .61 .58 .54 .55 .56 .54 Caring for and helping household children ................ .47 .42 .42 .42 .43 .42 Caring for and helping non-household members ......... .29 .26 .26 .29 .27 .23 Caring for and helping non-household adults ............ .10 .08 .09 .11 .10 .08 Working and work-related activities .............................. 3.57 3.75 3.55 3.68 3.65 3.69 Working ..................................................................... 3.23 3.44 3.23 3.32 3.31 3.35 Educational activities .................................................... .58 .60 .54 .48 .50 .45 Attending class .......................................................... .36 .38 .31 .29 .31 .27 Homework and research ........................................... .17 .17 .20 .13 .14 .14 Organizational, civic, and religious activities ................ .34 .30 .32 .32 .32 .31 Religious and spiritual activities ................................. .14 .11 .13 .14 .12 .12 Volunteering (organizational and civic activities) ....... .16 .14 .14 .14 .15 .14 Leisure and sports ........................................................ 5.06 5.15 5.11 5.11 5.18 5.14 Socializing and communicating ................................. .73 .72 .76 .78 .75 .75 Watching television .................................................... 2.63 2.76 2.66 2.57 2.64 2.58 Participating in sports, exercise, and recreation ........ .26 .29 .28 .30 .30 .29 Telephone calls, mail, and e-mail ................................. .19 .19 .20 .19 .18 .18 Other activities, not elsewhere classified ...................... .13 .12 .21 .19 .14 .17

 1 Primary activities are those respondents identify as their main activity. Other activities done simultaneously are not included. 2 All major activity categories include related travel time. See Technical Note for activity category definitions.

NOTE: Data refer to respondents 15 years and over.