Medieval peasants worked fewer hours per day than we do now, an average of 160 hours fewer per year (~8%). This is of course averaged over a pretty wide range o

Medieval peasants worked fewer hours per day than we do now, an average of 160 hours fewer per year (~8%). This is of course averaged over a pretty wide range of circumstances that we’d describe as “peasant”, including poor land owners and literal serfs who owed labor to their lord in exchange for rent. Most peasants would find our work schedule baffling heavy and consistent. But they would certainly envy our health and relative comfort. So, mixed bag.