What happens to saved commuting time? Actual and preferred time use patterns among teleworkers in Belgium

The rise of teleworking has altered daily time use patterns by reducing commuting time. The time saved from commuting can be reallocated to other activities. However, there is limited research on the factors that explain these time use patterns, while the role of telework frequency and telework motivations remains unclear. In this study, we examine how these two factors relate to actual and preferred uses of saved commuting time. Data were collected through an online survey. For each of four activity categories, namely work, household, leisure, and family, we estimated two binary logistic regression models: one for actual and one for preferred time use. The results show that, while telework frequency plays a limited role, telework motivations help explain how saved commuting time is used. At the same time, the findings reveal a clear mismatch between actual and preferred time use. This pattern is also reflected in the control variables: the factors explaining actual time use differ from those explaining preferred time use. Gender differences are particularly pronounced. Women are more likely to spend saved commuting time on household chores and less on leisure, whereas their preferences point in a different direction, with a higher preference for leisure and a lower preference for work, household activities, and family time. These findings suggest that teleworking may reinforce traditional gender roles and should be understood as a practice with implications for daily wellbeing, work-life balance, and the equitable distribution of time.