- The Basque Institute of Statistics (Eustat) has published a report on the use of time among the population aged 16 and over in Álava, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, which contrasts the data obtained in 2018 and 2023. The gender gap in household chores has narrowed by 27 minutes compared to 2018. The time devoted to caring for people has been reduced by nine minutes.
Eustat has made public the report of the Time Budgets Survey (EFA) carried out by the Basque Institute of Statistics. Between the years 2018 and 2023, Álava, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa have received the average time devoted to activities such as household tasks, care of the household, personal care or basic needs.
The population spent an average of two hours and fifteen minutes a day on household chores in 2023, such as kitchens, cleaning or shopping, ten minutes more than in 2018, breaking the downward trend of the last 30 years, according to data produced by Eustat. Last year this activity was carried out by the majority of the population (92.6%), although the gender gap still exists. The participation rate in this activity has risen from 2018, 6.6% in women and 18.2% in men. In 2023, women spent an average of 44 minutes more per day on these activities than men. In 2018, women spent an hour and eleven minutes more.
Less time in caring for people
The time spent caring for people in the home has been reduced by nine minutes compared to 2018 data. The upward trend since 1993 has changed. In 2023, the population spent an average of 27 minutes on this activity, and 23.1% of the population spent 1 hour and 55 minutes a day. In 2023, 14.5% of the population dedicated an hour and sixteen minutes a day on average to childcare and 5.6% an hour and 43 minutes to adult care. The average time spent caring for adults in the past year is less than in 2018, 44 minutes less for men and 10 minutes less for women.
In 2023, daily obligations took an average of almost a quarter of a day, which was five hours and 53 minutes. Paid work and training lasted for three hours and 11 minutes, while unpaid work, i.e. domestic work and caring for the people of the house, lasted for two hours and 42 minutes.
Personal care and basic needs, more than half a day
Sleep, food, cleanliness or the provision of medical care, and similar activities, averaged twelve hours and fifteen minutes in the daily life of the population in 2023. The average sleeping time is nine hours and three minutes.
Leisure time was spent, on average, one-fifth of the day. Seven out of ten people dedicated their daily time to active leisure, sports and internet. The time spent on social life has increased from 37.5% in 2018 to 49.1%, representing an annual increase of 37.5%.