Paid work and unpaid work

Time-use information is preferably obtained from diaries, as this method is considered more reliable than information from questionnaires.
The diary-technique seems to be unique in catching the rhythm of every day life and thereby the structuring of work and leisure during a well-defined and memorable period of time. However, there is no a priori reasoning why major differentials at least at an aggregate level should be found by using the two techniques.
The purpose of this paper is to test this hypothesis by using the Danish Time Use Survey 2001, where diary information as well as survey-questions are asked about the time spent on paid work and unpaid/household work.
The advantage of the latter technique is that it can easily be integrated into surveys. Thus the American National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) already contains two waves, and a new wave for 2001-2002, which allows for updated American-European time-use comparisons.