They usually say that a kitchen is a woman’s domain and, in many respects, this has continued to be so to this day. The only thing that proves that the saying is not necessarily accurate is with regard to the time spent there by men and women, with the former actually to be found in the kitchen for more hours daily than their partners, as a new survey cited by the Daily Mail informs.

As strange as it may sound to some, a new survey conducted by Wickes Kitchens and Bathrooms among 3,000 Britons shows that men spend on average more hours in the kitchen than their female counterparts. However, that’s not to say that said time is spent cooking, as activities popular with men include eating, packing lunches, reading, relaxing and doing the dishes.

Women, on the other hand, are primarily engaged in cooking when they’re in there. “A study has found the average man spends seven hours and six minutes a day in the room. That compares to a typical woman’s six hours and 52 minutes. The figure for men equates to 15 weeks and two days in the kitchen each year – but whether they use that time to good effect is debatable. While women are more likely to be cooking, men can be found relaxing, eating and preparing packed lunches – quite possibly for themselves.” the Mail writes on the findings of the survey.

Men and women also see the kitchen’s functionality differently, the same survey has also learned. For instance, when women first lay their eyes on one, they mentally evaluate the space they would have at their disposal for elaborate cooking, as well as that they could use for socializing with friends. Men, on the other hand, look at the gadgets it comes equipped with and estimate how long they would take to fix a quick meal.

“When seeing a kitchen for the first time, the study revealed that women explored the kitchen with an eye to preparing food – analyzing how they would work there – whilst men focused on aspects of the kitchen directly related to food consumption.” cognitive neuropsychologist Dr. David Lewis tells the Mail of partners’ different perspective on the kitchen space.