The UAB hosts a Time Use Week event to place the right to time at the centre of the debate

Do we have more technology, but less time? Which things make sense to accelerate, and which should we approach more slowly? How does a state of constant haste affect our health, caregiving, family life, and social participation? And what can public authorities, businesses, and society do to reclaim time for living? These are some of the questions raised by the 13th edition of Time Use Week 2026, held under the theme "Acceleració social i dret al temps: polítiques per al benestar sostenible" [Social Acceleration and the Right to Time: Policies for Sustainable Well-being].

This international forum for the exchange of knowledge and experiences regarding time policies and the right to time took place in Barcelona on Monday 19 October and Tuesday 20 October, and moved to the UAB’s Bellaterra campus—specifically, the Faculty of Political Science and Sociology—on Wednesday 21 October.

At the UAB, the event addressed the role of research, data on time use, and knowledge transfer in guiding public policy. The results of the Time Use Survey of Catalonia were presented, and two roundtables were held to discuss how Catalan public authorities use—or plan to use—time-use data to inform policy decisions. Various research projects concerning time use were also showcased. Participants included researchers, students, public administration officials, and representatives from social organisations. Among the experts from the UAB who took part were lecturers Joan García Román—researcher at the Centre for Demographic Studies—and Sara Moreno Colom—researcher at the Centre for Sociological Studies on Everyday Life and Work (QUIT) and the Institute for Labour Studies. Both are specialists in the analysis of time use and everyday life, and they served as moderators for the two roundtables.

One in every three Catalans suffer from time poverty

A total of 45% of the European population struggles to balance their professional, personal, and family lives, and 77% of workers report working at a high pace and with tight deadlines. Furthermore, 16% state that they do not participate in civic or democratic activities due to a lack of time.

In Catalonia, data from the 2024 Time Use Survey show some progress in the distribution of the 24 hours in a day, but also persistent inequalities. The differences between men and women remain significant: women still dedicate 1 hour and 13 minutes more per day than men to housework and care, work 21 minutes more in total—including paid and unpaid work—and have 33 minutes less leisure time. Furthermore, 56% of women say they plan the household chores and family care tasks on their own, compared to 16% of men.

The lack of available time after attending to work, domestic and caregiving obligations particularly affects women. According to the Centre for Demographic Studies of the UAB and the University of Sevilla, based on the 2024 Time Use Survey, 32% of women and 25% of men in Catalonia suffer from a lack of time. Among people with children, the proportion rises to 38% of women and 32% of men.

Aquesta iniciativa està coorganitzada per la Generalitat de Catalunya, l’Ajuntament de Barcelona, la Diputació de Barcelona, l’Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona i la Time Use Initiative, amb la col·laboració de la UAB i Catalunya Internacional. L’esdeveniment compta també amb el suport europeu de Time4All, cofinançat per la Unió Europea. L’edició de 2025 va reunir més de 4.600 participants en el conjunt de les activitats.

This initiative is co-organised by the Government of Catalonia, the Barcelona City Council, the Barcelona Provincial Council, the Barcelona Metropolitan Area, and the Time Use Initiative, with the collaboration of the UAB and Catalunya Internacional. The event also receives European support through Time4All, which is co-financed by the European Union. The 2025 edition brought together more than 4,600 participants across all its activities.

TIME USE WEEK website: https://timeuse.barcelona/ca/tuw-2026/