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The activity groupings the BLS uses in its published tables are different from the major categories in the activity hierarchy. The primary difference is that the published tables combine a major category and its related travel time together. Exceptions are "Purchasing goods and services", "Organizational, civic, and religious activities", "Leisure and sports", and "Telephone calls, mail, and e-mail." This table provides more details.

Researchers should note that despite similarity in naming convention, BLS time use variables do not necessarily nest neatly. For example, the sum of BLS_PCARE_SLEEP, BLS_PCARE_GROOM, BLS_PCARE_HEALTH, BLS_PCARE_ACT, and BLS_PCARE_TRAVEL is not equivalent to BLS_PCARE. BLS_PCARE includes Personal Care Emergencies (ACTIVITY=0105xx) which is not available as a detailed BLS time use variable.


BLS published tables
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Name Label
BLS_PCARE BLS: Personal care
BLS_PCARE_SLEEP BLS: Personal care: Sleeping
BLS_PCARE_GROOM BLS: Personal care: Grooming
BLS_PCARE_HEALTH BLS: Personal care: Health-related self care
BLS_PCARE_ACT BLS: Personal care: Personal activities
BLS_PCARE_TRAVEL BLS: Personal care: Travel related to personal care
BLS_FOOD BLS: Eat and drinking
BLS_FOOD_FOOD BLS: Eat and drinking: Eating and drinking
BLS_FOOD_TRAVEL BLS: Eating and drinking: Travel related to eating and drinking
BLS_HHACT BLS: Household activities
BLS_HHACT_HWORK BLS: Household activities: Housework
BLS_HHACT_FOOD BLS: Household activities: Food preparation and cleanup
BLS_HHACT_LAWN BLS: Household activities: Lawn and garden care
BLS_HHACT_HHMGMT BLS: Household activities: Household management
BLS_HHACT_INTER BLS: Household activities: Interior maintenance, repair, and decoration
BLS_HHACT_EXTER BLS: Household activities: Exterior maintenance, repair, and decoration
BLS_HHACT_PET BLS: Household activities: Animals and pets
BLS_HHACT_VEHIC BLS: Household activities: Vehicles
BLS_HHACT_TOOL BLS: Household activities: Appliances, tools, and toys
BLS_HHACT_TRAVEL BLS: Household activities: Travel related to household activities
BLS_PURCH BLS: Purchasing goods and services
BLS_PURCH_CONS BLS: Purchasing goods and services: Consumer goods purchases
BLS_PURCH_GROC BLS: Purchasing goods and services: Grocery shopping
BLS_PURCH_PROF BLS: Purchasing goods and services: Professional and personal care services
BLS_PURCH_BANK BLS: Purchasing goods and services: Financial services and banking
BLS_PURCH_HEALTH BLS: Purchasing goods and services: Medical and care services
BLS_PURCH_PCARE BLS: Purchasing goods and services: Personal care services
BLS_PURCH_HHSERV BLS: Purchasing goods and services: Household services
BLS_PURCH_HOME BLS: Purchasing goods and services: Home maintenance, repair, decoration, and construction (not done by self)
BLS_PURCH_VEHIC BLS: Purchasing goods and services: Vehicle maintenance and repair services (not done by self)
BLS_PURCH_GOV BLS: Purchasing goods and services: Government services
BLS_PURCH_TRAVEL BLS: Purchasing goods and services: Travel related to purchasing goods and services
BLS_CAREHH BLS: Caring for and helping household members
BLS_CAREHH_KID BLS: Caring for and helping household members: Caring for and helping household children
BLS_CAREHH_KIDOTHER BLS: Caring for and helping household members: Caring for and helping household children (except activities related to education and health)
BLS_CAREHH_KIDEDUC BLS: Caring for and helping household members: Activities related to household children's education
BLS_CAREHH_KIDHEALTH BLS: Caring for and helping household members: Activities related to household children's health
BLS_CAREHH_ADULT BLS: Caring for and helping household members: Caring for and helping household adults
BLS_CAREHH_TRAVEL BLS: Caring for and helping household members: Travel related to caring for and helping household members
BLS_CARENHH BLS: Caring for and helping non-household members
BLS_CARENHH_KID BLS: Caring for and helping non-household members: Caring for and helping non-household children
BLS_CARENHH_ADULT BLS: Caring for and helping non-household members: Caring for and helping non-household adults
BLS_CARENHH_ADULTCARE BLS: Caring for and helping non-household members: Caring for non-household adults
BLS_CARENHH_ADULTHELP BLS: Caring for and helping non-household members: Helping non-household adults
BLS_CARENHH_TRAVEL BLS: Caring for and helping non-household members: Travel related to caring for and helping non-household members
BLS_WORK BLS: Working and work-related activities
BLS_WORK_WORKING BLS: Working and work-related activities: Working
BLS_WORK_WORKREL BLS: Working and work-related activities: Work-related activities
BLS_WORK_OTHER BLS: Working and work-related activities: Other income-generating activities
BLS_WORK_SEARCH BLS: Working and work-related activities: Job search and interviewing
BLS_WORK_TRAVEL BLS: Working and work-related activities: Travel related to work
BLS_EDUC BLS: Educational activities
BLS_EDUC_CLASS BLS: Educational activities: Attending class
BLS_EDUC_HWORK BLS: Educational activities: Homework and research
BLS_EDUC_TRAVEL BLS: Educational activities: Travel related to education
BLS_SOCIAL BLS: Organizational, civic, and religious activities
BLS_SOCIAL_RELIG BLS: Organizational, civic, and religious activities: Religious and spiritual activities
BLS_SOCIAL_VOL BLS: Organizational, civic, and religious activities: Volunteering (organizational and civic activities)
BLS_SOCIAL_VOLACT BLS: Organizational, civic, and religious activities: Volunteer activities
BLS_SOCIAL_ADMIN BLS: Organizational, civic, and religious activities: Administrative and support activities
BLS_SOCIAL_SOCSERV BLS: Organizational, civic, and religious activities: Social service and care activities (except medical)
BLS_SOCIAL_MAINTEN BLS: Organizational, civic, and religious activities: Indoor and outdoor maintenance, building, and cleanup activities
BLS_SOCIAL_CULTURE BLS: Organizational, civic, and religious activities: Participating in performance and cultural activities
BLS_SOCIAL_ATTEND BLS: Organizational, civic, and religious activities: Attending meetings, conferences, and training
BLS_SOCIAL_CIVIC BLS: Organizational, civic, and religious activities: Civic obligations and participation
BLS_SOCIAL_TRAVEL BLS: Organizational, civic, and religious activities: Travel related to organizational, civic, and religious activities
BLS_LEIS BLS: Leisure and sports
BLS_LEIS_SOC BLS: Leisure and sports: Socializing, relaxing, and leisure
BLS_LEIS_SOCCOM BLS: Leisure and sports: Socializing and communicating
BLS_LEIS_SOCCOMEX BLS: Leisure and sports: Socializing and communicating (except social events)
BLS_LEIS_ATTEND BLS: Leisure and sports: Attending or hosting social events
BLS_LEIS_SPORT BLS: Leisure and sports: Sports, exercise, and recreation
BLS_COMM BLS: Telephone calls, mail, and e-mail
BLS_COMM_TELE BLS: Telephone calls, mail, and e-mail: Telephone calls (to or from)
BLS_COMM_MSG BLS: Telephone calls, mail, and e-mail: Household and personal messages
BLS_COMM_MSGMAIL BLS: Telephone calls, mail, and e-mail: Household and personal mail and messages
BLS_COMM_MSGEMAIL BLS: Telephone calls, mail, and e-mail: Household and personal e-mail and messages
BLS_COMM_TRAVEL BLS: Telephone calls, mail, and e-mail: Travel related to telephone calls
BLS_OTHER BLS: Other activities not elsewhere classified
BLS_LEIS_RELAX BLS: Leisure and sports: Relaxing and leisure
BLS_LEIS_TV BLS: Leisure and sports: Watching TV
BLS_LEIS_ARTS BLS: Leisure and sports: Arts and entertainment (other than sports)
BLS_LEIS_PARTSPORT BLS: Leisure and sports: Participating in sports, exercise, and recreation
BLS_LEIS_ATTSPORT BLS: Leisure and sports: Attending sporting or recreational events
BLS_LEIS_TRAVEL BLS: Leisure and sports: Travel related to leisure and sports