Home appliance manufacturer Whirlpool Corporation has commissioned new research to understand how lives have changed in 2020. The research conducted by YouGov found that nearly six in 10 UK adults (59%) are spending on average an extra 7.6 hours at home each day, equating to over two extra days at home per week. This has created positive shifts in dynamics in household, which experts predict could remain for the long-term.
The report found that 8% of those surveyed are cooking together more as a household since the pandemic began. For 10%, housework has also become more of a joint effort than ever before, with vacuuming (68%), cooking (66%) and tidying (65%) the most popular shared chores.
Over a fifth (22%) say they feel closer to friends and family. The most popular reason for this is because people now value their time together more (54%), while almost one in five (18%) say it’s because they have been exercising or learning new skills together.
More people have become hobbyists. 15% have taken up at least one new hobby or skill since the start of the pandemic. From the given list, learning a new language (21%) is the most popular hobby picked up in the UK, followed by drawing/painting (18%), baking (16%) and studying for a new qualification (16%) among those that have started a new hobby. 15% also say they’ve become more creative in the kitchen.
To help people keep these habits up, Whirlpool Corporation is launching a new 'Improving Life At Home' online hub, which brings expert advice together from across its many brands, with tips from happiness expert Wiking: http://www.improvinglifeathome.com/.
“Amidst the hardships, challenges and uncertainty that have come in 2020, it’s been heartening to see some silver linings as new dynamics and habits emerge in homes everywhere," said Eleanor Reece, senior director of global campaigns, Whirlpool Corporation. "We want to play our part in helping people keep those up, which is why we’ve launched this online hub, which brings together the best of our company’s advice-led content to help people make the most of life at home.”
