Millions of families are now sharing the household chores following a change in domestic life under lockdown, research has revealed.
A survey of 2,000 UK adults revealed 27 per cent have made positive changes since the beginning of the pandemic that they want to keep up long-term.
For one in 10, the lockdown has seen the laborious task of housework become more of a joint effort – with vacuuming, cooking and tidying the most popular shared chores.
And 15 per cent said the changes at home have led to them being more creative in the kitchen.
The report revealed almost six in 10 adults (59 per cent) are spending an average of more than seven-and-a-half hours extra at home each day compared to a year ago – equating to more than two extra days per week.
This has created positive shifts in dynamics in households – which experts predict could remain for the long-term.
The research was commissioned by home appliance manufacturer Whirlpool Corporation, which teamed up with Meik Wiking, CEO of The Happiness Research Institute, to examine the findings.
Meik said: “When the world feels chaotic, we often look for shelter and comfort in our homes as somewhere we can control.
“That’s never been more true than over the last few months.
“As this study shows, the effort we’ve made to make our homes a sanctuary from the outside world has led to us making positive changes to our home lives and household dynamics.
“Looking ahead to 2021, we might not be able to keep up all the good hobbies we’ve picked up, but I think the understanding that happiness is homemade is here to stay.”
The study also found that more than a fifth (22 per cent) of respondents felt the past 10 months had left them feeling closer to friends and family.
The most popular reason for this is because people now value their time together more (54 per cent), while 18 per cent put it down to exercising or learning skills together.
To help people maintain the good habits, Whirlpool Corporation is launching a new ‘Improving Life At Home’ online hub, which brings expert advice together with tips from happiness expert Meik Wiking.
Eleanor Reece, senior director of global campaigns at Whirlpool Corporation, said: “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.
“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.”
ENDS
