I've recently been working a lot, but not all of it has been desk time. I think it's fair to include time spent thinking about work as work time - once I've worked out how to solve a task I can churn it out, but something particularly complicated might take a few days of thinking (fast and slow) to work out.
A survey like the one in the article may be too simplistic because I could be in the gym while mulling over a problem, out for a walk, doing my shopping, playing games, etc. but in the background I'm still mulling things over. It's not pure relaxation time like when I'm not trying to work something out, but still leads to that "Aha!" moment, even if it happens in the shower or while doing the washing up.
I think it's reasonable to include all that thinking time as work time.
True, but then a lot of people in permanent jobs don't get paid extra for overtime anyway. I mean it more from the perspective of how much of your day you're "on", and that leisure/other activities aren't necessarily mutually exclusive to thinking about work related tasks, which can make you more productive during your usual paid hours.
> True, but then a lot of people in permanent jobs don't get paid extra for overtime anyway.
Can you specify what countr(y|ies) this applies to? It is most certainly not the case where I am.
> I mean it more from the perspective of how much of your day you're "on"
I'm firmly of the belief that if you spend a lot of your leisure time thinking about work, perhaps you have an unhealthy work/life balance. You are of course correct that it is possible to still do so. I don't agree with the point that this should be counted or even is work time. It is free time you have sacrificed to your job, without compensation. Work with no compensation doesn't satisfy the conditions for what I consider to be employment.
A survey like the one in the article may be too simplistic because I could be in the gym while mulling over a problem, out for a walk, doing my shopping, playing games, etc. but in the background I'm still mulling things over. It's not pure relaxation time like when I'm not trying to work something out, but still leads to that "Aha!" moment, even if it happens in the shower or while doing the washing up.
I think it's reasonable to include all that thinking time as work time.