The majority of self-isolated Lithuanians said they were worried about the country's economy (45%) and their personal financial situation (44%), and 43% answered that they were concerned with their health.
On the other hand, some treated this situation as me-time: almost one-third of respondents said they were happy with it (31%), others took the chance to slow down and relax (21%). One out of ten mentioned they had conflicts at home more than usual. However, the majority (70%) claimed they stuck to established daily routines.
Every third worked from home
Almost 70% of respondents said they had significantly reduced the frequency of their shopping or other trips from home. 42% said they spent almost all their time at home and even avoided walks in their neighbourhood. Some Lithuanians enjoyed fresh air in their balconies (30%) or in the surrounding forests and other places far away from their homes (19%).
The majority of respondents said they lived in their usual home during the lockdown, and only one out of ten said they had returned to their parents or spent time in their country houses. While at home, respondents spent most of their time in the kitchen (42%) or living room (46%). One out of four said they spent most of their time in the bedroom or at their desk (21%).
'These tendencies do reflect in the behaviour of IKEA customers too. At the beginning of lockdown, many of our customers rushed to buy home office furniture for themselves and for children learning from home. As the weather warms up, outdoor furniture is more and more often included in the shopping cart. Though, we have observed customers' efforts to improve their life at home during the whole lockdown: people buy kitchen furniture, bedroom furniture and accessories that help to keep things organized." says Jolita Juodzevičienė, Market Manager, IKEA Lithuania.
Only one out of three respondents said they had loved their home more during the lockdown. The majority of the respondents (64%) answered that they did not start to feel more positive about their homes. The 30–39-year-old respondents felt the most annoyed by home. Even ¾ of this age group admitted they did not like their homes more because of lockdown.
Learned to spend time together and cook new dishes
According to the research, 41% of respondents were learning to spend time with their families while staying at home, whereas 28% showed interested in cooking and were looking for new recipes. Another 23% have introduced new routines at home – disinfect surfaces more regularly.
Almost one-fifth of Lithuanians learned new ways of shopping while staying at home during the lockdown, i.e. to shop online. Other 17% answered that they have learned to communicate with friends remotely, and 15% started exercising at home.
About the survey: the internet survey was conducted by the research company 'Norstat'. Five hundred respondents participated from Lithuania. The survey was done on the internet at the end of April, beginning of May 2020.
