Yahoo Finance Coronavirus: A third of Brits say they have a better work-life balance in lockdown
Life in lockdown has been an adjustment, but Brits are putting the time at home to good use, and a third say they now have a better work-life balance.
In survey of over 2,500 Brits working from home, furloughed or made redundant as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, conducted by VoucherCodes, 37% said they feel positively about the extra free time and slower pace of life lockdown has provided.
Respondents said now have an average of 11 hours of additional free time each week.
This has helped almost two in five (37%) to focus on themselves more, over a third (35%) to have a better work-life balance, just under a third (31%) to focus more on the people they live with, and a quarter to take better care of themselves.
READ MORE: Coronavirus: Can you be forced to return to work? Your rights as a furloughed worker
Additionally, a whopping 87% of respondents have taken up activities they hadn’t previously tried.
Perhaps inspired by the lockdown social media trend of posting photos of homemade banana bread, over a fifth (22%) of Brits have taken up baking, while more than one in 10 (12%) are learning a new language or have taken an online course.
Even those who have been furloughed or made redundant are seeing the positives of their free time with two in five, and nearly a third (32%), respectively, saying they are enjoying the slower pace.
Three in 10 Brits who have been made redundant are using the time to help vulnerable friends or family members, with this increasing to nearly two in five (38%) of those who have been furloughed.
READ MORE: One in five people furloughed in parts of UK, figures show
Interestingly, only 13% of respondents feel anxious and said they don’t know what to do with themselves, with this number increasing to just 19% for those who have been furloughed — the highest of each of the employment groups analysed.
Reflecting on the benefits of lockdown living, over a third of respondents (35%) have vowed to make more time for themselves post-lockdown, and three in 10 (30%) want to continue to make time for their newfound hobbies.
However, a less hopeful third (35%) expect life to return to the way it was before the pandemic.
READ MORE: Coronavirus — How annual leave works when you are furloughed
Anita Naik, lifestyle editor at VoucherCodes said: “While understandably this is a very difficult time, it’s so interesting to see how well some people appear to be adjusting, and it’s great that there are so many positives being taken from the situation.
“There are lots of new skills being learned and great fun being had at home spending quality time with loved ones. Whether you’re an aspiring Mary Berry in need of some new baking equipment, or are getting back to grips with algebra and need to top up on stationery, it’s worth shopping around online as there are lots of great deals.”
