Parenting and employment: What time-use surveys show

Abstract

For over a decade controversy has raged about whether economic progress and the advancement of women have led to a perverse result - resulting in more work and less leisure (Schor 1991; Robinson and Godbey 1997; Gershuny 2000; Jacobs and Gerson 2001). It seems entirely possible that new constraints and pressures have neutralized the benefits of increased prosperity. Against the background of an increasing perception of time-pressure, there have been a variety of claims and counter-claims made about changes in paid working hours and in the amount of leisure time available. Let us look at the evidence for the increase in perceived time-pressure and then examine each of these claims and counter-claims in a little more detail.