The ABS has conducted its time use survey infrequently since 1992, but the 2024 survey has recently been released. It provides insight into how Australians, aged 15 years and over, spend their time across a day, including: the types of activities undertaken and the proportion of people who participated in these; the average time spent on each; household and personal characteristics; and circumstances of people undertaking activities. 

The time use survey covers personal care, employment and education, unpaid work and free time. The ABS notes the patterns of time use in 2024 were similar to those in 2020-21.  It won’t surprise BPW members that women do more unpaid work than men and have less free time.  Men also played video or mobile games at more than twice the rate of women, and also did less housework and childcare.  The charts in the report demonstrate this well.

Survey data also shows mothers spend more time looking after children (4 hours 38 minutes) than fathers (3 hours 29 minutes), and this includes providing personal care such as feeding, bathing, changing, playing and helping with homework – often while multitasking.