Maharashtra Residents Working Longer Hours, Sacrificing Personal Time: Time Use Survey 2024

Mumbai, April 7: People in Maharashtra are spending more time on work-related activities than ever before, leaving less room for social interaction, learning, and personal well-being, according to the Time Use Survey 2024 released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

The latest data shows that individuals in the state dedicate an average of 469 minutes per day to employment and work-related responsibilities—well above the national average of 440 minutes. This marks a sharp increase from the 2019 state average, which stood at 440 minutes.

The survey highlights a continuing gender gap in how time is spent. While men invest approximately 500 minutes daily in paid work, women spend significantly less—around 395 minutes. However, the pattern reverses when it comes to unpaid household responsibilities. Women continue to bear the bulk of domestic duties, clocking around 281 minutes each day on tasks such as cooking, cleaning, shopping, and pet care, compared to just 90 minutes for men.

A similar imbalance is observed in caregiving roles. Women dedicate 127 minutes a day to looking after children, the elderly, or other dependents, while men spend only 71 minutes.

Interestingly, the report notes a slight decline in the time spent on both domestic chores and caregiving since 2019. The average time on household tasks dipped from 242 minutes to 239 minutes, and caregiving time reduced from 112 to 106 minutes.

The sharpest decline, however, has been in time spent on community service, volunteer work, and internships, which dropped from 151 minutes to 116 minutes per day.

Educational activities have also taken a hit. Time spent on learning—including school, coaching, and informal education—fell from 434 minutes in 2019 to 415 minutes in the current survey. Social and cultural engagement, such as meeting friends, attending events, or participating in religious activities, also saw a decline from 145 to 132 minutes.

Only one category showed a modest rise: time spent on recreation and entertainment, which inched up from 164 to 167 minutes. This includes hobbies, sports, watching television, and other media consumption.

Even self-care activities such as sleeping, eating, and personal hygiene have seen a reduction, slipping from 715 minutes in 2019 to 709 minutes in the latest findings.

Experts have raised concerns about the increasing work hours and shrinking personal time. Psychiatrists warn that consistently neglecting social interaction, rest, and self-care can lead to burnout, emotional distress, and poor physical health.

The Time Use Survey provides critical insight into how individuals allocate their time across various domains—work, caregiving, domestic tasks, education, and leisure—and underscores persistent gender inequalities. The data plays an essential role in guiding policies on labour, gender equity, and overall societal well-being.

Globally, countries such as the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, and Israel regularly conduct time-use surveys to support informed policymaking. The U.S. has been running annual surveys since 2003, Australia since 1992, and Canada since as early as 1961.