In 1976, women performed an average of 26 hours of housework a week, while men averaged a mere 6. Household roles have since evolved, yet a new study has found that marital status significantly affects the amount of housework women do each week-and not necessarily for the better. Young single women take it easy, performing only 12 hours of household chores each week, but being married adds another 7 hours to the load. Married men, meanwhile, save an hour of housework each week. The situation worsens as women have children, with mothers of three spending an average of 28 hours a week washing, cooking, and cleaning.