Create Time Use Variable

The variables in this group each represent one of the major activity categories in the ATUS activity coding lexicon. Travel time comprises its own category in contrast to the BLS published activity variable groups offered below.

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.

The variables in this group are based on the USDA Economic Research Service's definitions of primary eating and drinking and associated activities. In contrast to the Activity coding scheme, primary eating based on the ERS definition includes work-related eating and drinking. In contrast to the BLS published tables coding scheme, travel related to eating and drinking is combined with waiting associated with eating and drinking rather than subsumed in primary eating and drinking.