Results from an international study of various nations:

Who’s busiest: working hours and household chores across OECD?

Mexicans work longer days than anyone else in OECD countries, devoting 10 hours to paid and unpaid work, such as cleaning or cooking at home. Belgians work the least, at 7 hours, compared with an OECD average of 8 hours a day.

These are among the insights in the latest edition of Society at a Glance, which gives an overview of social trends and policy developments in OECD countries. Using indicators taken from OECD databases and other sources, it shows how societies are changing over time and compared with other countries.

Most unpaid work is housework. Mexicans do the most, at more than 3 hours per day, and Koreans the least, at 1 hour and 19 minutes. Much of this time is spent cooking. Americans spend the least time cooking each day (30 minutes) and Turks the most in the OECD (74 minutes). Most people spend around 50 minutes a day cooking.

OECD (2011), Society at a Glance – OECD Social Indicators

KEY FINDINGS: MEXICO

Did you know?

 Mexicans work hard, spending the most total time working (paid plus unpaid work) in the OECD, on average nearly 10 hours per day, compared to an OECD average of just over 8 hours. [Fig1.2.xls]

 The 4 hours and 21 minute difference in unpaid work time between Mexican women and men is the largest in the OECD, where the average gap is 2 hours and 28 minutes. [Fig1.4.xls]

 Mexicans report the third highest positive psychological experiences (feeling rested, smiling, learning, and enjoyment) and lower than average negative experiences (pain, worry, stress, sadness, depression). [HE3.xls]

 Only one in four Mexicans express high trust in others, the third lowest rate in the OECD, and well below the OECD average of 59 per cent. [CO1.xls]