August, 2004 - Nr. 8
Germans spoiled for free time, survey shows
TWIG - Germans have more free time than nearly all of their European neighbours, according to a new survey of how Europeans spend their average day.
Using data collected between 1998 and 2002 for employed men and women, the European Union statistics office Eurostat found that only Norwegians have more leisure time at their disposal than the average German.
The statisticians compiled data from 10 European countries to determine how much time people spend on domestic work, gainful employment, meals and personal care as well as sleep and travel.
They found — unsurprisingly — that the greatest part of the day for people across Europe was spent sleeping, with the average German clocking in at about 8 hours of slumber daily.
In their waking hours, German men and women spend the least amount of time working among the European nations surveyed — about 7 hours each day between gainful employment and domestic duties.
Germans spend nearly two and a half hours daily on "meals and personal care," a category that included not only snacks and drinks but also sexual activity. That was on par with the European average, but less than the three hours spent by the French, leaders in the field.
After subtracting about an hour and a half for the average commute, German women were left with 4 hours and 49 minutes of free time, while men had 5 hours and 11 minutes.
What to do with all that down time? Germans spend about one-third of it watching TV, about 2 hours and 20 minutes, while the remainder is devoted mainly to socializing, reading, sports and hobbies.
German men and women spend just 5% and 6% of their
respective free time resting or doing nothing at all — generally less than
their European counterparts.
Republished with permission from "The Week in Germany"
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