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How many hours did people really work across human history?

Typical working hours from the Stone Age to the present day
Hunter-gatherer in Stone Age Europe: three to five hours a day, 365 days a year
Hunter-gatherer in Stone Age Europe: three to five hours a day, 365 days a year
Labourer in ancient Egypt: eight hours a day, 131 days a year
Labourer in ancient Egypt: eight hours a day, 131 days a year
Farm worker in ancient Israel: eight hours a day, 296 days a year
Farm worker in ancient Israel: eight hours a day, 296 days a year
Artisan in imperial Rome: six hours a day, 185 days a year
Artisan in imperial Rome: six hours a day, 185 days a year
Peasant in medieval England: eight hours a day, 150 days a year
Peasant in medieval England: eight hours a day, 150 days a year
Artisan in the 14th-century Aztec Empire: nine hours a day, 274 days a year
Artisan in the 14th-century Aztec Empire: nine hours a day, 274 days a year
Labourer in 17th-century France: 10 hours a day, 185 days a day
Labourer in 17th-century France: 10 hours a day, 185 days a year
Unskilled worker in mid 18th-century England: 11 hours a day, 208 days a year
Unskilled worker in mid 18th-century England: 11 hours a day, 208 days a year
Factory worker in mid 19th-century England: 16 hours a day, 311 days a year
Factory worker in mid 19th-century England: 16 hours a day, 311 days a year
Factory worker in mid 20th-century America: eight hours a day, 243 days a year
Factory worker in mid 20th-century America: eight hours a day, 243 days a year
Hunter-gatherer in late 20th-century Botswana: six hours a day, 130 days a year
Hunter-gatherer in late 20th-century Botswana: six hours a day, 130 days a year
Hunter-gatherer in late 20th-century Venezuela/Colombia/Brazil: three hours a day, 349 days a year
Hunter-gatherer in late 20th-century Venezuela/Colombia/Brazil: three hours a day, 349 days a year
Tech worker in early 21st-century China: 10 hours a day, 297 days a year
Tech worker in early 21st-century China: 10 hours a day, 297 days a year
Office worker in early 21st-century Netherlands: 5.8 hours a day, 234 days a year
Office worker in early 21st-century America: 6.9 hours a day, 239 days a year
Office worker in early 21st-century America: 6.9 hours a day, 239 days a year
Working from home during the Coronavirus pandemic inUS or UK: up to 11 hours per day, up to 239 days a year
Working from home during the Coronavirus pandemic inUS or UK: up to 11 hours per day, up to 239 days a year
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Fox Photos/Getty Images

Typical working hours from the Stone Age to the present day

Think you put in fewer hours than a Stone Age hunter-gatherer or medieval peasant? Though you might imagine workers in the 21st century toil the least, the reality might come as a something of a shock. Looking back over prehistory and history, click or scroll through as we reveal how much time ordinary people really spent labouring away and how work-life balance compares today...
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Daniel Coughlin

21 February 2023

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