{ "id": "F-02", "url": "https://evy.so/facts/time-on-work-about-work/", "chapter": "Where the Week Goes", "question": "How much of the work day goes to coordinating work rather than doing it?", "answer": "Between 53 and 61 percent, or roughly three of every five working hours. Four independent creators (Asana, McKinsey with IDC data, Microsoft and Workfront) land in that band, though each draws the line around coordination a little differently.", "range": { "low": 53, "high": 61, "unit": "% of working time", "display": "53–61% of working time, from 4 independent creators" }, "confidence": "high", "confidence_reason": "Four independent creators using surveys, adjusted survey data and app usage data converge on 53 to 61 percent. Definitions differ, and three of the four are self-reported or vendor-built.", "last_checked": "2026-10-13", "how_to_read": "Each study draws the line differently. Asana counts self-reported work about work, which includes searching, switching apps and chasing status. McKinsey counts everything outside role-specific tasks, including email. Microsoft compares time in communication apps with time in creation apps, so it only sees work done inside Microsoft 365. Workfront asks how much of the day goes to the job people were hired for. Asana's six editions come from one creator, so they count once toward agreement, and the 2024 change of label and panel means the series is not one clean trend.", "sources": [ { "creator": "Asana, survey by Sapio Research", "title": "Anatomy of Work Index 2019", "year": 2019, "sample": "10,223 knowledge workers in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US", "method": "Online survey, August to September 2019, self-reported. Asana sells work management software.", "figure": "60% work about work, 27% skilled work, 13% strategic work", "url": "https://resources.asana.com/rs/784-XZD-582/images/Anatomy-of-Work-Index.pdf", "quote": "The average knowledge worker devotes 60% of their time to work about work" }, { "creator": "Asana, survey by Sapio Research", "title": "Anatomy of Work Index 2021", "year": 2021, "sample": "13,123 knowledge workers in seven countries", "method": "Online survey, October 2020, self-reported", "figure": "60% work about work (France 66%)", "url": "https://asana.com/resources/anatomy-of-work-index", "archive_url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20210301155022/https://resources.asana.com/rs/784-XZD-582/images/PDF-FY21-Global-EN-Anatomy%20of%20Work%20Report.pdf", "quote": "knowledge workers continue to spend 60% of their day on work about work" }, { "creator": "Asana, survey by GWI", "title": "Anatomy of Work Index 2022", "year": 2022, "sample": "10,624 knowledge workers in seven countries", "method": "Online survey, October 2021, self-reported", "figure": "58% work about work, 33% skilled work, 9% strategic work", "url": "https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220405005399/en/Asana-Anatomy-of-Work-Index-2022-Work-About-Work-Hampering-Organizational-Agility", "archive_url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20260411014513/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220405005399/en/Asana-Anatomy-of-Work-Index-2022-Work-About-Work-Hampering-Organizational-Agility", "quote": "individuals are dedicating 33% of their day to skilled work" }, { "creator": "Asana, survey by GWI", "title": "Anatomy of Work Global Index 2023", "year": 2023, "sample": "9,615 knowledge workers in the US, UK, Australia, France, Germany and Japan", "method": "Online survey, November 2022, self-reported", "figure": "58% work about work", "url": "https://investors.asana.com/news-releases/news-release-details/asana-anatomy-work-global-index-2023-smart-collaboration-and", "archive_url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20260407093353/https://investors.asana.com/news-releases/news-release-details/asana-anatomy-work-global-index-2023-smart-collaboration-and" }, { "creator": "Asana Work Innovation Lab", "title": "State of Work Innovation 2024", "year": 2024, "sample": "13,066 knowledge workers in the US, UK, Germany, France, Japan and Australia", "method": "Online surveys, February to August 2024, self-reported. New label (busywork) and new survey panels.", "figure": "53% of time on busywork", "url": "https://asana.com/resources/state-of-work-innovation", "quote": "more than half (53%) of workers' time is swallowed up by busywork" }, { "creator": "Asana Work Innovation Lab", "title": "State of AI at Work 2025", "year": 2025, "sample": "9,236 knowledge workers in the US, UK, Germany, Japan and Australia", "method": "Online surveys, February to August 2025, self-reported", "figure": "55% of time on busywork", "url": "https://asana.com/resources/state-of-ai-work", "quote": "Knowledge workers spend 55% of their time on busywork" }, { "creator": "McKinsey Global Institute, using IDC survey data", "title": "The social economy: Unlocking value and productivity through social technologies", "year": 2012, "sample": "Managers and professionals in IDC's 2009 survey; sample size not stated", "method": "Re-analysis of IDC's self-reported time-use survey", "figure": "61% of the week outside role-specific work: 28% email, 19% searching, 14% internal communication", "url": "https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-telecommunications/our-insights/the-social-economy", "archive_url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20260710105837/https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-telecommunications/our-insights/the-social-economy" }, { "creator": "Microsoft", "title": "2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report", "year": 2024, "sample": "Anonymized usage data from commercial Microsoft 365 customers, 28 days to March 2024, outside the EU", "method": "App usage data, observed. Measures time inside Microsoft 365 apps only.", "figure": "60% of time in emails, chats and meetings; 40% in creation apps such as Word and PowerPoint", "url": "https://assets-c4akfrf5b4d3f4b7.z01.azurefd.net/assets/2024/05/Microsoft_2024_Work_Trend_Index_Annual_Report_663b79bdc8f91.pdf", "quote": "users spend 60% of their time on emails, chats, and meetings" }, { "creator": "Workfront, survey by Regina Corso Consulting", "title": "2019 US State of Work", "year": 2018, "sample": "2,010 US office workers at companies with 500 or more staff", "method": "Online survey, June 2018, self-reported. Workfront sells work management software.", "figure": "40% of the workday on primary tasks, so 60% on everything else", "url": "https://business.adobe.com/products/workfront.html", "archive_url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20190907022647/https://www.workfront.com/sites/default/files/files/2019-01/2019%20US%20State%20of%20Work.pdf", "quote": "U.S. workers say they spend only 40% of their workday on their primary tasks" } ], "related_findings": [ { "question": "Is work about work going down?", "answer": "Slightly, in Asana's series: 60% (2019), 60% (2021), 58% (2022), 58% (2023), then 53% (2024) and 55% (2025). From 2024 Asana relabeled it busywork and changed survey panels, so the last two years are not directly comparable. In 2019, respondents guessed they spent only 35% of their time on it.", "sources": [] } ], "numbers_you_may_have_seen": [ { "claim": "Asana 2024: 54% (or 60%) of time goes to work about work.", "what_the_source_says": "Asana's 2024 report says 53% of time goes to busywork. The 54% in that report is the share of workers using AI at least monthly, and 60% comes from the 2019 and 2021 editions." }, { "claim": "Asana's 60% quoted as this year's figure.", "what_the_source_says": "60% is from the 2019 and 2021 editions. The latest figures are 53% (2024) and 55% (2025), under the new label busywork." } ], "citation": "EVY (2026). How much of the work day goes to coordinating work rather than doing it? The AI at Work Fact Book, F-02. https://evy.so/facts/time-on-work-about-work/ (last checked October 13, 2026). CC BY 4.0.", "license": "CC BY 4.0" }