How do we fill our time? Well, mostly by sleeping and resting, according to a fascinating insight into our habits released by the Office of National Statistics. Adults in the UK Spent on average 9 hours and 3 minutes a day sleeping and resting between September 23rd and October 1st 2023, compared with 8 hours and 47 minutes recorded between September 5th and October 11th 2020 when certain lockdown restrictions were in force.
The time spent on socialising, entertainment and other free time activities has reduced, down to 3 hours and 39 minutes a day from 4 hours and 17 minutes three years ago. Most of the time was spent watching television (2 hours 17 minutes), eating (1 hour and 7 minutes), washing, dressing, using the bathroom and self-grooming (53 minutes), making food and drinks (46 minutes), and socialising with people (32 minutes).
For those working, men reported that the average daily time spent working away from home had increased slightly over the three year period, from 6 hours and 51 minutes to 7 hours and 27 minutes, while women spent slightly less time working away from home, down from 5 hours and 11 minutes to 4 hours and 42 minutes. For both men and women, the time spent working from home was roughly the same compared with three years ago, an average of 5 hours and 38 minutes for men and 6 hours and 42 minutes for women.
One of the surprising points to come out of the survey is that the 70-plus age group is second only to those in their 20s when it comes to using a computer or device for leisure purposes, spending an average of 43 minutes and 10 seconds a day, ten minutes longer than those in their 40s, mainly web browsing, checking emails, and creating content. Social media, though, does not seem to float their boat, spending the least time, just three minutes a day, exploring other people’s rants, fantasies and frustrations.
An old boss told me that if you had one hand in the fire and the other in a bucket of ice, on average you would be fine and, of course, averages can be misleading and only give a broad brush picture. Still, there is a yardstick to measure ourselves against.
If it all gets to much, you could always pop into the Daily Grind in Oakham for a coffee!
This post first appeared on Windowthroughtime | A Wry View Of Life For The World-weary, please read the originial post: here
