Answer. According to the 2017 American time use survey by Bureau of Labor Statistics, part of the average American’s time each day is spent as follows: First, 1.11 hours on eating and drinking. Next, 4.14 hours working. Also, 0.52 hours on socializing. In addition, 2.5 hours watching TV. Finally, 0.16 hours on the telephone, going to mail, and email. For the most part, all these activities involve sitting. As a result, the average American spends 8.43 hours each day sitting. Most noteworthy, this number is consistent with other surveys and studies on sitting.