• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’

2

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

3

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

1

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’

2

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

3

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
HealthFortune Intelligence

How Americans spend their time: From hours spent on work and sleep to chores and hobbies

By
Ashley Lutz
Ashley Lutz
and
Fortune Intelligence
Fortune Intelligence
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Ashley Lutz
Ashley Lutz
and
Fortune Intelligence
Fortune Intelligence
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 2, 2025, 4:39 PM ET
Professional HR manager reading job candidate’s resume in her office while working on laptop. Recruitment human resources employment hiring concept.
The Time Use survey reveals how Americans spend their hours.Getty Images

The 2024 American Time Use Survey (ATUS) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals how Americans spent their time across work, household, leisure, and childcare activities.

Recommended Video

While remote work continued to be popular, the survey of around 7,700 people found that more men returned to the office. The number of men working remotely decreased from 34% to 29%, while the rate of women working from home remained the same.

  • Sleep: The average American reported sleeping 9.04 hours per day.
  • Remote work: 33% of employed people worked from home on days they worked, a figure similar to 2023 and significantly higher than pre-pandemic 2019 levels (24%).
  • Work patterns: Men worked an average of 33 minutes more per day than women, a gap that persists even among full-time workers (8.2 hours for men vs. 7.9 for women).
  • Education and work location: Workers with at least a bachelor’s degree were more likely to work from home (50%) than those with only a high school diploma (18%).
  • Household activities: 87% of women and 74% of men spent time on household activities daily. Women averaged 2.7 hours, men 2.3 hours. Nearly half of women (48%) did housework compared to 22% of men.
  • Leisure and sports: 94% of people aged 15+ engaged in leisure or sports daily. Men spent more time (5.5 hours) than women (4.7 hours). Watching TV was the most common activity (2.6 hours/day), though TV watching has declined over the past decade.
  • Childcare: Adults in households with children under 6 spent 2.5 hours daily on primary childcare. Women provided more physical care (1.2 hours) than men (34 minutes). Non-employed adults spent more time on childcare than employed adults (3.2 vs. 2 hours).

These findings reflect ongoing shifts in American life, including the persistence of remote work, gender differences in work and household responsibilities, and the continued importance of leisure—especially TV—in daily routines.

For this story, Fortune used generative AI to help with an initial draft. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing. Given the nature of AI tools, mistakes may occur.

The Fortune 500 Innovation Forum will convene Fortune 500 executives, U.S. policy officials, top founders, and thought leaders to help define what’s next for the American economy, Nov. 16-17 in Detroit. Apply here.
About the Authors
Ashley Lutz
By Ashley LutzExecutive Director, Editorial Growth

Ashley Lutz is an executive editor at Fortune, overseeing the Success, Well, syndication, and social teams. She was previously an editorial leader at Bankrate, The Points Guy, and Business Insider, and a reporter at Bloomberg News. Ashley is a graduate of Ohio University's Scripps School of Journalism.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Fortune Intelligence
By Fortune Intelligence

Fortune Intelligence uses generative AI to help with an initial draft, thereby bringing you breaking business news faster while maintaining our high standards of accuracy and quality. These stories are edited by Fortune's senior business editors to verify the accuracy of the information before publishing.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Health

crfb
Economynational debt
Interest on the national debt is eating a record 19% of federal revenue — and watchdog warns it will get worse
By Nick LichtenbergMay 27, 2026
5 hours ago
Legion Pulse Pre-Workout Review (2026): Expert Tested
HealthDietary Supplements
Legion Pulse Pre-Workout Review (2026): Expert Tested
By Emily PharesMay 27, 2026
8 hours ago
The 5 Best Massage Chairs (2026): Expert Tested and Reviewed
HealthDietary Supplements
The 5 Best Massage Chairs (2026): Expert Tested and Reviewed
By Emily PharesMay 26, 2026
1 day ago
tt
HealthWhite House
Trump spent 3 hours at Walter Reed. he claims ‘everything checked out PERFECTLY’
By Collin Binkley and The Associated PressMay 26, 2026
1 day ago
The 6 Best Meat Delivery Services (2026): Tested and Reviewed
Healthmeal delivery
The 6 Best Meat Delivery Services (2026): Tested and Reviewed
By Christina SnyderMay 26, 2026
1 day ago
Rear view of a depressed non binary person looking out of their bedroom window on a sunny day - negative emotion
EconomySmall Business
America is becoming less neighborly, and it’s hurting Gen Z and millennials’ chances at economic mobility
By Tristan BoveMay 26, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’
Success
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’
By Preston ForeMay 26, 2026
1 day ago
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
Travel & Leisure
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
By Catherina GioinoMay 25, 2026
2 days ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
6 days ago
Sam Altman and Dario Amodei are both walking back their AI jobs apocalypse prophecies as they eye blockbuster IPOs
AI
Sam Altman and Dario Amodei are both walking back their AI jobs apocalypse prophecies as they eye blockbuster IPOs
By Sasha RogelbergMay 26, 2026
1 day ago
Uber burned through its entire 2026 AI budget in four months. Now its COO is questioning whether it's worth it
AI
Uber burned through its entire 2026 AI budget in four months. Now its COO is questioning whether it's worth it
By Jake AngeloMay 26, 2026
1 day ago
Techlash grows in education: 'My daughter went to middle school and was sent home with a screen addiction in her backpack'
North America
Techlash grows in education: 'My daughter went to middle school and was sent home with a screen addiction in her backpack'
By Jocelyn Gecker and The Associated PressMay 26, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.