General Social Survey, Cycle 24: Time Stress and Well-Being, 2010: Public Use Microdata Files

This package was designed to enable users to access and manipulate the microdata file for Cycle 24 (2010) of the General Social Survey (GSS). It contains information on the objectives, methodology and estimation procedures, as well as guidelines for releasing estimates based on the survey.

Cycle 24 collected data from persons 15 years and over living in private households in Canada, excluding residents of the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut; and full-time residents of institutions.

The purpose of this survey is to better understand how Canadians spent their time. Time use estimates can be produced based on information reported in the time use diary portion of the survey. This diary provides a detailed record of participation in a wide variety of daily activities, as well as the time devoted to them, where these activities took place, and the social relationships of the respondent. Also, for the first time, the 2010 GSS collected information on simultaneous activities, i.e. those that are performed at the same time as a primary activity. The questionnaire collected additional information on perceptions of time, time spent doing unpaid work, well-being, paid work and education, cultural and sports activities, transportation, and numerous socio economic characteristics.

Cycle 24 is the fifth cycle of the GSS dedicated to collecting data on time use. Previous cycles had been conducted in 1986, 1992, 1998 and 2005. Cycle 24 includes most of the content from previous cycles as well as new content, added to reflect the society's emerging issues.