Life during COVID-19. Survey results

A snapshot of a global lock-down during a third week of April

Everything has changed! Or nothing has changed?

People spin fire, bake sourdough bread, feel anxious, drink less, are less productive while working from home, massively miss their friends and being able to plan their own future, and want a teleportation device.

Between 11th and 19th of April, 215 people from across the world took a survey on the effects of self-isolation during COVID-19 pandemic. In the UK (where I am based), it was a third week of lock-down— in my opinion the most difficult one. This text shows the results of this survey (with my comments).

The survey was focused on four parts: 1. leisure, 2. work, 3. dreams&future and 4. demographics, which are replicated in the text. Attention: lots of pie-charts.

1. LEISURE

With 72% of the respondents having already adapted to the lock-down and 32% even preferring it to normal “pre-lock-down” life, I tried to understand what exactly do they like. First, most of the people have more free time:

Second, people re-connect with themselves, their surroundings and their neglected interests:

On the other hand, 50% of the respondents find the lock-down difficult, with 3% even hating it: for example, almost two-thirds of respondents don’t meet any new people.

But what actually do people miss the most? Meeting with friends and travelling take the first two places:

*The last three activities were not given in the survey initially, but were suggested by the respondents

After asking the same question in a less concrete way, and trying to get to the bottom of it, it appears that people mainly miss control over their lives:

Of course, we are very lucky to live in times, when you can do lots of things online and thus withstand the demoralising influence of a lock-down. Which things, of those we miss, we can do online?

Who are those who found alternatives for hugs and kisses?

Zoom helps massively, with 83% of respondents using video-conferencing tools several times a week or more and 24% using it more than once a day. Most even party over Zoom:

As was mentioned before, people use their free time and come up with new ideas. What was the most interesting thing they did?

In a nutshell: people started new things online with friends.

Out of some other weird stuff: learning to spin fire, creating street art to brighten neighbours’ lives, writing, more introspection, cybersex, learning lock-picking, a lot of cooking and many more!

Apparently in some countries alcohol consumption has grown during lock-down, but not among the respondents of this survey: 35% drink less, 24% drink more and 41% didn’t change their habits. Understandably, people who live alone, drink much less during than before the lock-down — they don’t have social pressure to drink!

2. WORK

The work landscape globally was affected dramatically. Almost 8% lost their jobs, 5% continue working on-site, and 50% work full-time from home. Those who were looking for a job, are now stuck because the job market has reduced dramatically.

For those working from home, the productivity on average reduced:

After asking whether respondents think that their business can be done online, it appears that around 83% respondents think, that at least half of their job can be done online! This is huge:

3. DREAMS & FUTURE

At the end of the survey, I have asked people to come up with ideas on what new products or services would improve their lives. And although many said “there is no need in more products”, I receive some interesting answers too:

Another question about future was to understand what the new things, habits or experiences, they have started doing during lock-down, would stay with respondents after the lock-down:

Things have changed, and hopefully good things will stay with us.

4. DEMOGRAPHICS

Below is some additional data on the respondents: who, where, how old, household size.

Youngsters! With 77% of all the respondents not having children

Demographics with a COVID-twist.

With people not being able to go outside, 20% are very unlucky with not having any garden, balcony or a terrace, whereas 44% have a garden, 32% have a balcony and 14% have a terrace. How often do they go outside?

Around 20% of respondents are really locked down (less than once a week outdoors), whereas others are more relaxed, or the countries they live in are more relaxed: only 10% of respondents from London and as many as 25% of respondents from elsewhere go outside once a week or less.

Did actually the virus affected people directly and medically? Yes, people do get sick, and unfortunately people do die.

5. CONCLUSIONS

We have more free time that we fill with cooking and introspection. We are less productive and miss human presence. We want to be in control of our movement, future and plans. We find it difficult, but we will adapt.

I noticed, that over the last two weeks I myself have changed my opinion towards the lock-down, I became less anxious and more in tune. I feel more adapted to the new types of social interactions and even going to socially distanced “porch parties” — the live goes on. It would be great to understand how your life is changing since the beginning of the lock-down too. You can email me on ivan . isakov (at) gmail . com for this or some feedback on the survey (and if you want to get the raw data too).

Be safe! ♥

Yours truly,

Ivan Isakov