6 out of 10 adults enjoy life in lockdown (and other surprising statistics)

By Shayna Sappington
23rd Apr 2021

6 out of 10 adults enjoy life in lockdown (and other surprising statistics)

Surprisingly, more people are enjoying lockdown than not.

A recent study conducted by Zahra has found some surprising statistics surrounding the public’s reaction to lockdown life.

Out of the 4,191 Irish participants, 59% of the respondents said they have enjoyed life in lockdown. Furthermore, only 12% of respondents said they are most looking forward to returning to restaurants and just 2% to pubs.

Why, you ask? Those who are enjoying life more in lockdown gave these top three reasons:

It’s given them more time to spend with family (53%)
There’s less pressure to be social (26%)
They’ve been able to save more money (13%)

And while it’s great to see these positives right now, it also begs the question: “What will life look like after lockdown?”

Has socialising changed forever?

Most have deeply felt the impact of a year-long pandemic, feeling anxious around crowds, uncomfortable if someone is too close in the queue or overwhelmed by too much social interaction in one day.

This survey shows that there’s been a major social shift from larger hangouts to more intimate get-togethers. People are treasuring the increased time they’ve been spending with those in their small social pod.

In fact, 16% of people said they were nervous about life returning to its pre-pandemic normality, making us wonder what post-Covid socialising will look like and how long it will take us to adjust.

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More family time vs. Work-life balance

On the flip side of increased family time (if you’re lucky enough to have yours in your bubble), is the rise in an unbalanced work and home life.

Of those surveyed, 42% said their ability to do their job has been significantly impacted by Covid, and 49% said they are struggling to balance work and childcare responsibilities.

The results have been mixed with just over half of respondents hoping for a balance of both home and office work in the future and 25% not wanting to return to office life at all.

This shows that working from home has been a subjective experience based on our home life situations and the types of jobs that may be able to accommodate some more than others.

If you’ve been struggling, you’re not alone

Although six out of ten adults said they are enjoying life in lockdown, others have struggled with the toll it has taken on their mental health.

Nearly one-third of Irish adults said they are currently experiencing mental health difficulties caused by the pandemic. And just 23% of these have received counselling or psychological support.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, the HSE has a comprehensive list of supports and services available during Covid.

Please see our @Recovery_Ire report on access/usage of mental health services during Covid-19 which will be available on our website shortly https://t.co/K4Nje2bHeC
Huge thanks to everyone that was involved in developing this report .

— HSE Mental Health Engagement and Recovery (@Recovery_Ire) April 22, 2021

This survey has illuminated just how different lockdown life has been for everyone – something we should all keep in mind when talking with family and friends.