Time Use Survey

The Time Use Survey (TUS) aims to measure accurately how people allocate their time across different day-to-day activities. To this end, people are asked to keep records of all their activities in a time diary. For each activity, additional information is collected about whether or not the person was alone doing it or together with other persons, where did the activity take place, etc. The main studies on time use have been conducted to calculate indicators making possible comparative analysis of quality of life within the same population or between countries. International studies care more about specific activities such as work (unpaid or not), free time, leisure, personal care (including sleep), etc.

Agendas (Day 1, Day 2) and instructions (English)
Agendas (Day 1, Day 2) and instructions (French)
Agendas (Day 1, Day 2) and instructions (German)

Data collection

A survey is conducted throughout the year 2014 as a follow-up to the Household Budget Survey.

Individuals are required to fill in a time diary, using their own words, with their main activities over a two-day period including one week day and one week-end day. The diary is divided into 10 minutes time slots. If several activities are done in the same time, only two of them must be recorded, one the respondent considers as its « main » activity and another one which is regarded as « secondary ». In addition, the respondent records in the diary where the activity took place (home, work place…) and whether he was alone doing the activity or together with other persons. Finally, the respondent reports whether the activity was pleasant or not.

Legal basis

EUROSTAT has published guidelines for Harmonized European Time Use Surveys (HETUS):

Most of the European countries have already carried out time use surveys at national level. The STATEC conducted a pilot study in 2013.