TV and internet rule our free time

PEOPLE are spending twice as much time on the internet as they did at the end of the millennium and that means they are spending less time in the kitchen, doing housework, DIY, and, for men, working.

Statistics agency Insee has published details of a typical day in the life of French men or women and it shows that since 1999 they spend nearly half their 4hr58 of leisure time in front of a screen.

The TV is still the main source of "recreation" with people watching two hours a day, the same as 12 years ago; but also 33 minutes a day surfing or playing games on the internet which is twice as much as in 1999. Reading and walking have now been pushed aside as main uses of free time.

Insee found the day is split up into five sections: free time, physiological needs, domestic tasks, transport and work/study. Half the day is spent in bed (8hr30 - 13 minutes less than in 1999), in the bathroom and getting ready to go out (1hr02) whether to work or for leisure, and eating (2hr13).

Around half an hour on average is spent travelling to work and, when there, men are working for 11 minutes less while women's working hours are unchanged. Men's working week lasts 37hr15 while women - who hold more part-time jobs - are working for 29hr05.

Women are spending 10 minutes less a day in the kitchen than before... and men no more than before. Men have also not changed their habits of not doing housework and they have cut back on DIY tasks but are spending more time - five minutes a day - with their children.

Retired people are still the biggest readers, spending more than half an hour reading each day.