Statistics Estonia is studying time use of Estonian people

The data of the Time Use Survey are used to measure the quality of life and general well-being of the population. Time use data describe participation in the labour market, consumption behaviours, leisure time, family relationships as well as changes in household composition, people’s well‑being and social values. It is also possible to measure hidden informal unpaid work performed at home. Finding balance between paid and unpaid work and their fair sharing in the household is one of the most researched areas of time use. The information collected is used to develop family and labour policy as well as other social policies.

The survey sample is approximately 7,500 households and a person chosen by random sampling from the population register also brings his or her family into the survey. Interviews are conducted with the head of household and all other members of the household who are at least 10 years old. Respondents record in the time use diary their activities on two designated days and, in the weekly schedule of working time, their working hours in one week.

The Time Use Survey is organised in Estonia for the third time. It is coordinated by the European Union statistical office Eurostat. The survey is conducted in many European countries using a harmonised methodology. The data will be published in the statistical database of Statistics Estonia in the second half of 2021.