As people around the world come to grips with living and working from home there have been a number of growing trends. Adaptation is something ingrained in us so it comes as little surprise that seemingly every one is a baker now. Here are some of the ways the British people have adapted to lockdown life.
Sharing Experiences
One of the best developments to come out of lockdown is a surge in families, friends and housemates sharing experiences. Confined conditions and a lot of spare time has led households to develop hobbies together. Parents watching cooking videos with their kids and then trying the recipe, or group yoga sessions are an example of this.
This compromised lifestyle is one that allows people to try new things, strengthen social bonds, and potentially help them find a hobby to continue long after lockdown ends.
Comedy Gold
According to Thinkbox, television consumption has seen a massive 40% in comedies. In uncertain times, having a laugh is one of the best ways to let off steam or pass the time. There have been countless studies into the benefits of laughter with scientists claiming regular laughter can boost your immune system, reduce anxiety, and act as a natural anti-depressant.
Channel 4’s on-demand service All 4 has been one of the biggest winners recording its best quarter to date. Titles such as Friday Night Dinner, Hollyoaks, Celebs Go Dating, Gogglebox, The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine were top of the charts.
Nostalgia
Nostalgia is also enjoying a resurgence. Live sports have been cancelled and new movies and series are on hiatus until the lockdown is over. To fill the time, everyone seems to be catching up on classic television.
Old comedy shows like Porridge have become staples again with parents showing their children classic movies and series they may not be familiar with. Thinkbox noted Only Fools and Horses viewership has gone up 20% while Last of the Summer Wine has increased by 30%.
Homemakers
A casual scroll through social media brings up close up after close up of freshly baked bread and homemade pickles. With more time at home, people have taken up home hobbies. Crochet, baking, learning a language, homemade sauces, the list is endless. This effect seems to be caused by a couple of factors.
Firstly, the limitations on movement. With no access to cinemas, bars and the like, people have turned to hobbies that fill the hours.
Secondly, limited produce and a desire to stretch the time between grocery trips has led to people preserving food and trying out homemade alternatives. Everything from hot sauces and pickles to cakes and bread are everywhere on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Gardens
Finally, the humble garden has become a sanctuary all its own. For exercise, work, games, gardening and even just having a casual barbecue, the British garden does it all. There are memes galore about everyone doing up their gardens during the lockdown. In Germany, garden centres are some of the first stores to be allowed to open as they relax their isolation laws showing how desperate people are to get to the garden centre for supplies and tools.
As you can see lockdown has changed people’s mindsets. With so much unknown, people have become more insular and determined to improve and enjoy their homes. It’ll be interesting to see how long these trends go on for and if they have a larger effect on the way we live and work after the lockdown.