The enduring inequality of who does most chores at home is an often unspoken issue that has a huge impact on all our lives. Wherever you live in the world, we’d like to hear your experiences of housework. (Editor’s note: it’s okay to moan ...)

Are you doing too much housework - and is it hampering your career?

Many of us profess to be worried about the lack of equality and fairness in the world around us – yet scientists are shedding new light on an enduring inequality in our own homes: how couples, friends and families divide up the housework.

A recent study in Australia found that women there spend almost twice as much time on housework as men do. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) discovered that women on average take two hours and 52 minutes out off their day to do housework, while men spend one hour and 37 minutes per day.



The ABS also found that of the 1.7 million Australian women who work 35-40 hours per week, 19% also do more than 15 hours of unpaid domestic work, compared to just 8% of the 2.3m men who work such hours. Nearly a quarter of men working 35-40 hours a week do no domestic work at all, compared to just 14% of similar women.

An analysis of leisure time by the UK’s Office for National Statistics also found that women spend significantly less time on hobbies and relaxing because more of their hours are taken up by housework, as well as childcare. Overall, men in the UK spend an average of six hours and nine minutes per day on “leisure pursuits”, compared to five hours and 29 minutes spent by women.

Earlier this year, a brilliant comic by French artist Emma about women doing the bulk of household chores – including carrying the “mental load” of planning and organising – became a viral hit and prompted debate about attitudes to housework.



The Inequality Project: the Guardian's in-depth look at our unequal world Read more

Now we’d like to find out more about the housework breakdown in your home – wherever you live in the world, whatever your household structure, and whether you’re in a heterosexual or same-sex relationship.

Is housework a source of ongoing tension that you never seem to be able to resolve? Is the imbalance harming your relationship with a partner, friends or family members? Is it affecting your ability to do your job, or to enjoy your social life? And are there particular household jobs you do that you never get credit for?

Alternatively, do do you have a system that ensures each partner does their fair share – and do you both stick to it? When it comes to housework, what’s the secret of a happy household?

It’s time to unburden yourself. Please use the form below to share your experiences.