In an oddly interesting way, the disruption of our social lives by Covid-19 pandemic-driven lockdowns and safety guidelines prompted a seri...
In an oddly interesting way, the disruption of our social lives by Covid-19 pandemic-driven lockdowns and safety guidelines prompted a series of disquieting reflections on everything from the value of patience to a recovered nostalgia for a less hurried life.
The English-speaking, internet-connected middle class around the world found ways to adapt to the new normal. Confusing narratives emerged about how this pandemic-led epochal downtime could be used effectively. Some were driven to turn every single work-free minute into self-improvement projects. Others discovered the often-overlooked everydayness of “slow leisure”.
With Tiktok videos, balcony concerts, home workouts, baking lessons, home reorganisation and creative reconfigurations of older pastimes (jigsaw puzzles and family boardgames), the internet offered creative re-imaginings of free time.
What was missed in this narrative of indulgent busy-ness was the unequal nature of work and leisure. To begin with, social cleavages between parents and non-parents, and between genders were deepened in terms of access to discretionary time.
To understand the nature and level of people’s time squeeze, we look at the recently released nationally representative Time Use Study 2019 led by the National Sample Survey Organisation. Although the study doesn’t allow us to see how the pandemic disrupted, exacerbated and altered the daily rhythm of work and free time, it offers insights on standard constraints of time-use. More...
