La medición del uso del tiempo: aprendizajes y desafíos

After several decades of experience collecting time use information, these statistical tools have become an important part of national statistical systems. They have provided relevant information to measure people's total workload, to better understand the way households and society are organized, and to design public policies. Based on the experience accumulated in different countries and contexts in relation to the measurement of time use, this document analyzes the main challenges posed at both the national and international levels. It discusses the different tools for measuring time use (activity diaries or specific survey questions) and the most important aspects to take into account when designing them. The reference period for the collection of information, the seasonality of the variable to be surveyed, the definition of the informant, the minimum responding age, the definition of the activities to be considered, among others, determine the quality of the information collected and the comparability of the measurements over time and between countries. This document also analyzes the three national surveys conducted in Uruguay (in 2007, 2013 and 2022), their characteristics and limitations, and makes recommendations for future surveys.