Time use (work-life balance, quality of time, recreation time, caring for others)

What is this domain and what does it tell us about wellbeing?

The way we are able to use our time affects our wellbeing. People who have a good balance between work, caring and unpaid work, and recreation have high wellbeing. Those who experience high demands on their time – such as jobs with long work hours, high caring responsibilities, or a lot of unpaid volunteering commitment – can be at risk of reduced wellbeing. While working long hours and doing a lot of caring does not automatically equate to lower wellbeing, it does raise the risk of low wellbeing.

The linkage between quality of time use and a person’s wellbeing is why time use is being included in a growing number of wellbeing frameworks. The aspects of time use examined vary depending on the framework, but often include work-life balance, and time spent on unpaid work and caring responsibilities.

Connections to other domains

Quality of time use often has a strong connection to standard of living, particularly where a need to earn money to afford high living costs leads to a poor work-life balance.

Indicator options

• Work-life balance
• Quality of time use
• Volunteering & giving time to the community
• Caring responsibilities
• Unpaid work
• Commuting time