What Do the Unemployed Do?
“[W]e find that roughly 30% of the foregone market work hours are reallocated to non-market production (excluding child care)…In particular, about 13% of foregone work hours are allocated to what we refer as core home production activities (cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc.)…
[L]ess than 1% of the foregone market work hours are allocated to job search. However, this represents a fairly large percentage increase given how little time unemployed workers allocate to job search. We show that individuals increase their time investments in their own health care, their own education, and civic activities. Specifically, around 12% of foregone market hours are allocated to these investments.
[L]eisure activities absorb only about 50% of a given decrease of market work. Additionally, a large fraction of this reallocation is directed towards sleep (more than 20% of foregone work hours).
For many people, it’s a lot more than 20 percent of foregone work hours that’s directed toward sleep.
When I’m not working, I’m sleeping.
I would think that education would be more significant.
I’m not surprised by the reallocation to sleep. I think most of us probably sleep an extra 20 percent when we don’t have to get up in the morning.
Bob: Enrolling in a new course can jeopardize unemployment benefits. Although I’m sure it’s permitted in some cases.