In personal discussions, I have heard people claiming that the average peasant of the Middle Ages and up to the 18th century worked only a few hours a day, way less than an office employee would work today. I would like to know if this is true.
Do we know what, for instance, the daily life of a medieval peasant looked like? Did people in premodern societies really have more free time, and if yes, how did we come to work this much today? Or is this information incorrect and nothing more than a "fun fact" used to complain about the current work situation? Is the term "work" even of any use when describing pre-modern societies?
Before other responses come in, you might be interested in my earlier response that addresses this issue, specifically focusing on the issue present in the last question.