Study finds how Americans define productivity

The “Sunday Scaries” may be a thing of the past. Nearly nine in 10 (88%) people say they greatly enjoy completing things on a Sunday, new research suggests.Show more

According to a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults, 64% said waking up early on a Sunday sets their day up for success.

When asked to define productivity, responses varied from getting their to-do list sorted (36%) and spending time with their partner or loved ones (29%) to meal prepping (28%), doing errands (28%) and even sleeping (17%).

And for two-thirds (66%), getting one thing done in a day is enough to feel productive.

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Samsung Electronics America, the survey also discovered that staying productive can often come at a cost, with 42% regularly feeling they need to sacrifice time from other activities to maintain momentum.

Forty-two percent frequently scramble to finish some last-minute household chores before a big event on TV, such as a sports game or a series premiere.

And, nearly six in 10 (57%) respondents have missed a major TV moment to get things done around the house.

Those last-minute chores? Washing the dishes (51%), cooking a meal (48%) and taking out the trash (40%).

Nearly half (48%) of people regularly resort to using commercial breaks to get things done.

To make the most of their time, some respondents turn to multitasking, with more than half sharing that they regularly look at a TV screen while multitasking (52%).

People look at an average of two screens while doing other things, and feel most productive with two screens in front of them.

But 47% report feeling stressed when using multiple screens.

While multitasking, people typically use their TV to stream a series or movie (48%), listen to music (40%) or watch sports (36%).

But sometimes, people have other things on their minds. While 56% think about the content they’re watching, 36% are concerned about how many household chores still need to be completed.

“It’s no surprise that people want to make the most of their weekends, but find it hard to stay on top of their chores while also enjoying some much-needed R&R,” said James Fishler, Senior Vice President, Home Entertainment & Display Division, Samsung Electronics America.

“Connected devices are a great way to work smarter, not harder so you can tackle your weekends more efficiently. For example, you can watch the big game on your smart TV while simultaneously video calling a friend all without missing a touchdown, goal or plot reveal. Plus, you can use your smart TV to control your entire smart home from the comfort of your couch: get alerts when your laundry is finished, start your robotic vacuum, pre-heat your oven and even make sure the fridge is stocked.”

WHAT DO PEOPLE POSTPONE TO WATCH TV?

Cleaning up - 37%

Doing the laundry - 27%

Preparing meals - 18%

Spending time with my partner/spouse - 10%

WHAT DO PEOPLE USE THEIR TV FOR WHEN MULTITASKING?

Streaming a series/movie - 48%

Listening to music - 40%

Watching sports - 36%

Scrolling through social media - 26%

Doing chores (e.g., scheduling grocery delivery, coordinating plans for the week ahead) - 25%

Sending/answering messages - 25%

Reading articles/blogs - 17%

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Survey methodology:

This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 general population Americans was commissioned by Samsung Electronics America between Oct. 2 and Oct. 5, 2023. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).