Silver Lining: 2 In 5 Adults Have ‘Changed For The Better’ Thanks To Lockdown

LONDON — Many people have been using their extra time during the coronavirus lockdown wisely and have adopted new habits to keep themselves busy. In fact, a recent survey of 2,000 British adults reveals that 43% of people feel they’ve “changed their ways for the better” as a result of all the time inside these past few months.

Researchers sought to learn how habits and daily lives have changed as a result of the lockdown. Nearly half of those surveyed expect to keep up these new hobbies, skills, and daily habits they’ve taken on after the lockdown restrictions are lifted. Learning new computer skills, creating podcasts, participating in online fitness classes and going for long walks are some of the new activities people have turned to as a new means to occupy their time.

The survey, commissioned by LG Electronics, shows that 43% of respondents feel they have “changed their ways for the better” as a result of the lockdown. For example, about two in five feel their new habits have helped their overall well-being. A quarter of adults say these activities have taught them new ways to relax. They hope to continue to be their improved selves once everyone returns to their old routines.

“The fact that many people are forming productive and healthy new habits is testament to the nation’s ability to adjust,” says Hanju Kim, IT product director at LG UK, in a statement. “The nation is working from home and has an appetite to continue working flexibly even after offices reopen. A big part of this can be attributed to technology keeping us connected.”

People have become increasingly reliant on technology during the time spent cooped up at home. Families are spending more time together watching movies, while others are turning to online classes to learn new skills like computer programming or a new language. That said, 54% of respondents feel their laptops are critical to getting by right now, while 64% say their cellphones have become a “lifeline” of sorts. Nearly six in ten (57%) wouldn’t know what to do if they didn’t have their TVs.

One of the most important uses of technology these days, of cousre, is the video call. People who have been using programs like FaceTime, Zoom, or Skype to keep in touch with friends and family report that they are connecting with their loved ones even more (45%) during lockdown than they did before restrictions were put in place. Video calls are now commonplace for virtual birthday parties (25%), bar trivia games (20%) and virtual bachelor/bachelorette parties (7%). The survey found that the average person spends almost three hours on video calls each week!

Half of the people surveyed are still working during the shutdown and have transformed their homes into their offices. Most people use at least two different rooms during the workday to give themselves a change of scenery. A quarter of people surveyed plan to spend more time working from home after their offices open back up.

One fifth of those surveyed have enjoyed the extra sleep they’ve been getting so much that they plan to maintain their extended sleep schedule moving forward.

The survey found a few more things of note. Over 25% of people surveyed think their spending habits have improved as a result of the shutdown. When asked what their ideal workspace would be once the lockdown ends, 30% of Brits said their home, 23% said a regular office space and 7% said outside spaces. Lastly, over one quarter of Brits surveyed find it easier to relax during the shutdown.

The survey was conducted by OnePoll.

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