A multicountry perspective on gender differences in time use during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally altered how people spend time, with possible consequences for subjective wellbeing. Using diverse samples from the United States, Canada, Denmark, Brazil, and Spain (n = 31,141), following a preregistered analytic plan, and employing both mega- and meta-analyses, we find consistent gender differences in time spent on necessities. During the pandemic, women-especially mothers-spent more time on tasks such as childcare and household chores. To the extent that women spent more time on chores than men, they reported lower happiness. These data represent one of the most rigorous investigations of gender differences in time use during the forced lockdowns created by the COVID-19 pandemic, and point toward individual differences that should be considered when designing policies now and post-COVID-19.

Automated summary

Research shows that during the COVID-19 pandemic, women, especially mothers, spent more time on childcare and household chores, leading to lower reported levels of happiness. Policies should take into account individual gender differences in time use, both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.