Labour Distribution In Icelandic Homes Uneven And Gendered

According to a recent national survey by Gallup, women continue to work the “third shift,” as well as carry out more domestic chores and bear more responsibility for childcare. Men experience a more even distribution of labour than women do.

Two-thirds of women in heterosexual relationships claim more responsibility for doing domestic chores than their partner. 12% of men claim to do more domestic labour than their partners.

About 60% of men said that childcare responsibility was evenly distributed, while the same proportion of women claim to oversee childcare more than their partners.

When it comes to domestic tasks, women are more likely to clean, wash and do laundry. They are also more likely to oversee grocery shopping and other types of shopping, e.g. purchasing gifts, clothes and furniture. Men, however, are more likely to oversee car and outdoor-related tasks, as well as home repairs.

The third shift is primarily carried out by women, as 76% of female respondents claim. The third shift, often called the mental load, refers to unseen mental chores in the household, for example, general organisation, budgeting and preparation of daily activities.