New research indicates that Americans banked 60 million hours thanks to remote working.
According to a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York using data from the American Time Use Survey, workers were able to take the time saved from commuting and apply it to their wellbeing.
“We find that employed individuals allocate their saved commute time toward leisure activities and sleeping, while reducing overall work hours,” the researchers stated.
Remote work also allowed professionals to adjust their normal working hours, often using the time saved from commutes to get their work day started earlier. However, the analysis also showed that workers used their reclaimed time to:
- Sleep
- Participate in leisure activities
- Focus on home-related responsibilities (maintenance, cooking, etc.)
- Care for children
- Seek out side hustles
“The findings lend credence to the various reports on employees’ preferences for flexible work arrangements, given that cutting the commute enables people to spend their time on other activities, such as childcare or leisure,” the researchers added.
“This added benefit of working from home — for those who want it — will be an important consideration for the future of flexible work arrangements.”
