Discussing labor division before marriage helps clarify unpaid work responsibilities

9. Discussing labor division before marriage helps clarify unpaid work responsibilities

Cost: There is no monetary cost. Spend one or two hours before marriage to reach a clear agreement on how household chores, childcare, and elder care — all unpaid tasks — will be divided between partners, then follow that plan. The real challenge lies in having the conversation, not in avoiding it.

In plain terms: According to the 2024 National Time Use Survey, men spend an average of 1 hour and 52 minutes per day on unpaid activities such as housework and caring for family, while women spend 3 hours and 29 minutes. Since the survey does not break down data by marital status, there are no official figures on how much housework increases after marriage; the gender gap observed can only serve as an upper limit. In reality, couples can negotiate a different division of labor altogether before getting married.

Benefit: The 2024 National Time Use Survey tracks unpaid labor, which includes housework and family care. On average, people who perform such tasks spend 2 hours and 45 minutes daily on them; men dedicate 1 hour and 52 minutes, women 3 hours and 29 minutes. The proportion of individuals engaging in unpaid labor each day is 67.5% among men and 83.9% among women. Nationwide, residents spend an average of 1 hour and 17 minutes daily on housework; among those who actually do it, the average rises to 1 hour and 59 minutes — a decrease of 28 minutes compared to 2018. Time spent caring for family averages 30 minutes per day; for those involved, it reaches 1 hour and 46 minutes. In 2018, men spent 45 minutes on housework and 17 minutes on childcare, while women spent 2 hours and 6 minutes on housework and 53 minutes on childcare.

Evidence grade: A

Sources: National Bureau of Statistics of China (2024). Bulletin of the Third National Time Use Survey (No. 2, No. 3). <https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/zxfb/202410/t20241031_1957216.html>, <https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/zxfb/202410/t20241031_1957215.html>; National Bureau of Statistics of China (2019). 2018 National Time Use Survey Bulletin. <https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/zxfb/202302/t20230203_1900224.html>

Notes: Both surveys analyzed data only by gender, urban/rural residence, and age; marital status was not considered. Consequently, no official statistics exist on how much housework increases after marriage; the gender disparity can only be used as a rough upper bound. These figures represent national averages, but couples are free to negotiate a division of labor that suits them — and that is precisely the value of having this discussion.