Three hours of free time in front of the screen: what are we really doing?

Three hours of free time in front of the screen: what are we really doing?

In Germany, people spend an average of six hours a day on leisure activities. A recent analysis shows that around a third of this time, specifically 2 hours and 7 minutes, is spent watching television and streaming. These figures come from the Federal Statistical Office's time use survey, which is carried out every ten years. The last survey took place in 2022 and was aimed at people aged ten and over, creating a comprehensive picture of leisure activities in Germany. According to the HZ It also becomes clear that the average time spent socializing and socializing is 1 hour and 15 minutes per day.

In addition, the survey shows that cultural activities such as reading, listening to music or going to the movies take around 53 minutes per day. In contrast, the average time spent on sports activities is just over half an hour per day, which indicates a rather low level of commitment to sports. What is also astonishing is that the use of computers and smartphones, without taking communication into account, falls into the same time window at just over half an hour per day.

Volunteering and unpaid work

It is important to note that many leisure activities that are useful are not included in these statistics. These include, but are not limited to, volunteer work, gardening, craft activities, and sewing or baking, all of which are considered unpaid work. It is also worth mentioning that sleeping is not considered a leisure activity, which further influences the general time budget. The average leisure time also differs between weekends and working days: On weekends, Germans spend an average of 7 hours and 45 minutes on leisure activities, while during the week it is only around 5 hours and 26 minutes.

The time use survey is a voluntary survey that aims to document the population's time use. As the Statistical offices explain, this survey places particular emphasis on unpaid work. It records how much time people spend on different activities and how these change over time. The data obtained plays an essential role in the women's and family policy discussion as well as in scientific analyses.

The survey covers a 12-month period to avoid seasonal bias and up to 15,000 households will be surveyed, a significant increase from previous surveys. Participants aged ten and over keep a diary about their daily routine on three specified days, documenting all main and secondary activities, travel times and means of transport used. This detailed recording makes it possible to gain a precise picture of leisure and working conditions in Germany.