"I think a lot of people will disagree -- but perhaps listen to the explanation here. What the authors do is they define work very broadly -- not just time you spend at your job but time in household chores like cooking, shopping, keeping house, running errands," says Walden, a specialist with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.

"And they say when you look at this comprehensive measure of work -- both work in the job place as well as in the home -- there's been a big drop in total work among Americans over the last 40 years.

"A large reason for this is the advent of modern conveniences at home, as well as the fact that many households now pay to have some household chores [like lawn mowing] done rather than do them themselves.

"So, that said, why might people feel as if they are working more? The authors say there could be two reasons: Number one, your time is more valuable today. And number two: There is so much more for us to do with our time that that may put pressure on us. [And so we ] think, 'Gee, we can never get all these things done.'"