It Is About Time: Measurement, Challenges, and Policies for Asia

This report explores how time-use surveys can provide insights into the paid and unpaid activities that sustain economies and societies, highlighting the importance of investing in care, infrastructure, and labor market reforms.

Time-use surveys reveal how people allocate their most finite resource. By tracking how individuals divide their hours among employment, unpaid care and domestic work, learning, leisure, and self-care, these surveys expose constraints on productivity and opportunity. Such data are essential for promoting overall well-being. This report reviews international standards and examines key challenges in designing and implementing time-use surveys, drawing on data from eight Asian countries.