Australian workers want more leisure time

One in five Australian workers (21 percent) want to work less, with most wanting more time for social and recreational pursuits, according to the latest Australian Social Trends released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

While most workers are happy with their usual hours, one in five (21 percent) preferred to work fewer hours (in 2007) saying they wanted more time for social and recreational activities, and free time (36 percent), and for their family (24 percent).

Men, those already working full-time, and workers with children, were among those most likely to be overemployed, the survey found.

Workers who were Managers and Professionals were most likely to want to work less hours.

Nearly nine in ten Australians aged 15 years and over attended at least one cultural venue or event in 2009-10 and around two in three participated in sport or physical recreation at least once in the same period.

Going to the cinema continued to be Australia's most popular cultural activity for those aged 15 years and over, with two thirds attending.

Image: Getty