This extensive data collection was a collaborative effort by SBS News and the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The survey was conducted over two distinct timeframes: from July 22 to September 3, 2024, and from September 16 to October 29, 2024.

On average, single parents dedicated 7 hours and 4 minutes to daily activities, while couples spent around 6 hours and 16 minutes. This was notably higher than the overall average of 4 hours and 25 minutes.

These domestic activities encompassed unpaid tasks crucial for household maintenance and management, deliberately excluding any caregiving duties.

Domestic activities include unpaid work to maintain and manage a household, excluding caring responsibilities.

The most common activities were cooking (69.1 per cent of women compared with 53.8 per cent of men), housework (56.9 per cent of women and 34.8 per cent of men) and shopping (25.8 per cent of women and 18.3 per cent of men).

Looking after children

Meanwhile, supervisory care refers to time spent in the same location as a child under 15 while being available to provide care if needed, alongside another main activity.

Only nine per cent of people reported supervising a child while doing paid work, averaging 5 hours and 41 minutes a day. Females (10 per cent) were more likely to do so than males (8 per cent).

Employment activities

More males participated in employment activities than females (48 per cent compared with 38 per cent).

Men who undertook employment activities spent almost an hour longer per day than women, averaging 8 hours and 55 minutes compared with 7 hours and 58 minutes.

Working from home

On days worked from home, women spent more time on unpaid work than men — 3 hours and 48 minutes compared with 3 hours and one minute.

Men who worked from home spent 4 hours on free time, compared with 4 hours and 24 minutes for those who did not.

Free time

Parents spent significantly less time on free time activities (3 hours and 38 minutes) than people without children (6 hours and five minutes).

Social media use, web browsing and checking emails were also common, with one quarter of respondents spending an average of one hour and 23 minutes a day on these activities.

Time stress

Balancing work and family was the most commonly cited reason, reported by 42 per cent of those who felt time-stressed.

Source: SBS News / Australian Bureau of Statistics

Almost half of women aged 35 to 44 (49 per cent) said they always or often felt rushed or pressed for time.