How are individuals impacted by the pandemic? A study on anxiety, expectations, and changes in daily life.

Jobs

• Prior to the pandemic, just 7% of full-time employees were looking for new work. Now, that number has increased to 12%.
• About 8% of previously full-time employees are no longer employed full-time.
• 27% of people who are still employed are concerned that they may lose their job due to the pandemic.

Concerns, Fears, Sources of Stress

• 46% of people are ‘extremely concerned’ about the health of their family and friends.
• Second biggest concern is public health (3.98/5 average)
• Third biggest concern is going out in public (3.68/5)
• 50% of people rated their own mental health as a 4 or 5 out of 5 as a concern.
• 19% of people are ‘extremely concerned’ about their ability to pay for housing, and 15.4% are ‘extremely concerned’ about their ability to pay for groceries and essential items
  • About a third of all respondents answered both of these questions with a 4 or 5 out of 5.

Top Concerns

How concerned are you with each of the following sources of stress/anxiety during this pandemic?
(1 = not at all concerned, 5 = extremely concerned)

Who is handling the pandemic well?

• Hospital, pharmacies, and grocery stores are rated as handling this situation better than other organizations.
• Federal government is by far last, with 33% of respondents rating the federal response as a 1 out of 5
• Individuals rate themselves and their families as handling the situation quite well, however when they are asked to rate their local communities and the general public, the ratings decline drastically.

How have activities changed?

• Unsurprisingly, the activities that people most reported participating in ‘much more than before’ are cooking at home (73% reported an increase), video chatting (71%) and watching streaming services (e.g. Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video (68% reported an increase)
• 63% are using social media more
• 63% of people are watching and reading more news than before
• 60% of people are using mobile apps more than before, but only 20% reported ‘much more,’ as use was likely already very high for most people
• Biggest losers: driving (76% report a decrease) and personal grooming (47%)

Top activities people are doing more:

• Cooking at home (73% report an increase)
• Video chatting (71%)
• Watching streaming services (e.g. Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video) (68%)
• Watching/reading news (63%)
• Using social media networks (e.g. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook) (63%)
• Using apps on your phone (61%)

Top activities people are doing less:

• Driving (76% report a decrease)
• Personal grooming (47%)
• Exercising (37%)
• Ordering food from restaurants for pick-up (26%)
• Ordering food delivery (e.g. Uber Eats, GrubHub, Postmates) (22%)

Some interesting ones:

• 23% of people report an increase in charitable giving, while 19% report a decrease
• 43% of people are reading more
• 36% are shopping more online as a recreational activity
• Only 27% of people are listening to more podcasts, while 45%of people are listening to more music
• 58% of people are cleaning more
• 20% of people are showering/bathing less

Spending Habits

• 74% of people are spending less money due to the pandemic
        – 40% because life is more affordable (less driving, going out, etc.).
        – 34% because they are trying to save
• 10% of people report spending more due to the pandemic

Trusted Organizations

Please select any organization listed here that you trust to provide products/services you need right now.

Most trusted national organizations:

• Amazon (Selected by 79% of participants)
• Google (57%)
• CVS (53%)
• YouTube (52%)
• Zoom (52%)
• Walmart (48%)

Lowest ratings for trusted to provide valuable products/services needed right now among national organizations:

• Fox Business News (12%)
• US Federal government (16%)
• Citi (16%)
• JP Morgan Chase (21%)
• Twitter (21%)

Ratings among government bodies:

• Your state/province government (39%)
• Your local government (37%)
• US Federal government (16%)

Ratings among media/news companies:

• CNN (43%)
• ABC (39%)
• NPR (38%)
• CBS News (35%)
• PBS (35%)
• NBC News (33%)
• MSNBC (28%)
• Fox News (23%)
• Bloomberg (20%)
• CNBC (20%)
• ESPN (16%)
• Fox Business News (12%)

Ratings among technology companies:

• Amazon (79%)
• Google (57%)
• YouTube (52%)
• Zoom (52%)
• Verizon (40%)
• Facebook (38%)
• Apple (33%)
• AT&T (32%)
• Microsoft (31%)
• Instagram (31%)
• Comcast / Xfinity (29%)
• T-mobile (28%)
• Whatsapp (28%)
• Skype (24%)
• Twitter (21%)
• Uber (19%)
• Sony (15%)
• DIRECTV (12%)

Grocery & Retail Essentials (national brands):

• Amazon (79%)
• CVS (53%)
• Walmart (48%)
• Costco (39%)
• Trader Joe’s (38%)
• Walgreens (37%)
• Whole Foods (36%)
• Aldi (36%)

Financial services (national brands):

• Visa (36%)
• American Express (26%)
• Bank of America (22%)
• JP Morgan Chase (21%)
• Wells Fargo (19%)
• Citi (16%)

Data Privacy

Please indicate how much you trust each of the organizations below to use your personal data in an ethical and beneficial manner. Personal data includes information like cell phone GPS location, mobile app usage, online purchase activity, credit score, etc.
(1 = I do not trust them at all, 5 = I trust then completely)

It has been suggested that governments can partner with large technology companies by using cell phone tracking data to implement meaningful solutions to solve the pandemic crisis. These types of solutions would help track outbreaks and ensure social distancing/quarantine compliance.

Giving access to your personal data may help solve the pandemic problem. Does this affect your willingness or comfort level sharing data with the government and technology companies?

• No, I am not willing to share my data (29%)
• Yes, I am slightly more likely to be willing to share my data (21%)
• Yes, I am much more likely to share my data if this will help solve the pandemic crisis (21%)
• Yes, I would definitely share my data if it will help solve the pandemic crisis (19%)
• I’m not sure (10%)

Additional Quotes

“No more waking up at 5:30am, and no more sitting in traffic for an hour trying to get home! And cleaner air to breath!”

“[My job] has changed a lot. I used to report to work and now I have to do everything at home. It’s stressful if my internet doesn’t work because that’s my job and all my communication. The network doesn’t work great which poses problems a lot. I get sick of work calls, they get very annoying.”

“I am working from home since March 6. My hours and salary were reduced 20%. I leave my house once every 7-10 days and shopping is stressful. It used to bring me joy to go shopping and find deals and use coupons and now I can’t do that. I have gained weight from lack of movement during the day. And frankly I no longer have a sex life. (I don’t live with anybody, so I am isolating alone.)“

“My work load has increased and so have my hours. We are busy processing SBA PPP loan requests as well as COVID-19 related loan deferral requests.”

“Basically, I work from 8-5 at home, but with a child, I have to watch the child from 2-8pm. Because I lose some work time, I resume work from 8-10pm, M-F. I’m basically at home except for groceries.”

“I went from being in close contact with the public and going into people’s homes to doing nothing.  My employer is closed and I’m home.  I can’t work from home but I’m still being paid my full salary.“

“Not much has changed though I’m in sales for medical software, and the key stakeholders and budgets that I work with are on hold or occupied with the current world events.”

“I have not been working and have had to apply for unemployment.  I hope to return to work soon, but I have a 1 year old son and I have to be responsible for his health as well as mine and my wife’s.“

“I am now completely working remotely from home and have stopped all travel related to my job. My kids are doing virtual learning from home and life as we know it in terms of socializing and even grocery shopping has shifted. We are very careful and cautious about procuring our groceries. We are trying to limit exposure to others and have even canceled some really big events we had planned. One being a huge bat mitzvah for my daughter which was supposed to be this upcoming weekend.”

“I’m teaching while my husband works in the other room, one kid does her classes and our little one climbs on everyone and makes it next to impossible to get work done.”

“”I am fortunate in that my income and child care is stable. My husband is also a federal employee (Active Duty military) and my mother lives with us and does childcare. 

“Laying around a lot more. Praying a lot more. Talking to my children a lot more”

“Connecting with neighbors I hadn’t met before, because people are volunteering to pick up groceries for those like me who (due to underlying conditions or age) aren’t going out shopping on their own. I normally play music in my home weekly, but now we are doing the best we can with workshops on line. I”m also viewing concerts and lectures one line which are being organized specifically to counter the enforced isolation. I’ve written poems for a group created to stimulate artists. The arts community has gone into overdrive in various media, both in hopes of making a little money to pay their bills and because creative people can’t stop creating – and if anything  become more inspired during times of hardship. Unfortunately, they are not being adequately recognized for their importance and are not receiving the support they need and deserve for their contribution to society.”

“More checking in on family, seniors, and single/shutins. Less time with grandchildren.  Less travel/travel planning. More consolidating and sorting computer files, weeding, etc.  More watching nature (weather systems, trees flowering, clouds . . . ). More concern about my spouse’s physical and mental conditions. More charitable giving.”

“I have more time to walk my dog, and can enjoy it more because I don’t feel pressured to make it back to my office in a certain amount of time. I’ve also had more time and energy to exercise, which is something I really used to enjoy but had to stop because of injuries and fatigue. I’m cooking a little bit more than I used to, but my meals have been more creative and exciting.”

“My life has been minimally impacted. I am not taking my kids to a billion activities a week now…lol”

“I miss my family. We can’t see our grandchildren and that has been so hard. Cooking everyday. Spending more screen time.“

“Apparently there is nothing worth talking about, thinking about or doing except obsessing endlessly about this virus; I quit listening to the news or reading any news because the entire subject has been worse than the virus itself!  I have to say your survey has an hysterical edge to it as well “FORCED to work from home” for example.  I am very happy to be work from home and so are a lot of other people.  Some people are actually happy to have their children home with them too.”

“My freedoms have been taken away. I feel that my life is no longer mine to live. Honestly my life isn’t too different as I’ve always been a homebody, but I don’t have anything to look forward to once school starts so I feel pretty down.”

“My days are a blur and I can’t focus on anything. I’ve stopped watching the news or any press conferences because the President’s immaturity and constant berating of reporters was infuriating.“

“It’s gotten a lot quieter.  I’m generally a homebody anyways but it was nice when my friends and I would get together for dinner and drinks or dinner and a movie.  Now, it’s virtual.  It’s just not the same.”

“I stopped working and my child stopped going to school and obviously we are in the house more than we ever were before my life has changed because of the virus so many ways I’m more worried about getting sick so I have to take precautions for everything and it causes a lot of worrying.”

“You have to value the “little things” more and realize the importance of everyday connections now that social distancing exists. I can’t be involved in the community in the same way (events, markets, etc) either. I’ve also had to access what small businesses I most want to give my support to now”

“Socializing has definitely changed. But I don’t feel lonely. We’ve been interacting daily via our video games and we don’t normally play (animal crossing)”

“I see less people and I sit much more”

“We moved in with my parents so they can help take care of the infant.  Adjusting to it is difficult.”

“Less stress. Healthier diet. Closer to my wife than ever. No social gatherings, pre-pandemic I gathered with friends 1 – 3 times a week.”

“I’ve never cried so much wanting to go to the supermarket. I’ve never cooked so much. Thankfully, I’ve lost weight.“

“My children need my attention all the time. I try not to show them I am scared or tired. They need school not to be on electronics all the time I can not play with them 13 hours a day.“

Quotes about biggest struggles:

“Staying sane and connected with friends without listening to them complain non-stop”

“Trying to maintain my weight :)”

“I am struggling with not having my hair, nails or other grooming.“

“Finding and securing a source of income to pay my bills.”

“Being at home all the time with spouse who is annoying. Mental health. Feeling useful and productive. Worry about how long this will last. I’m 68 years old and my life is slipping away.“

“Keeping my toddler entertained and developing.”

“I’m struggling to perform at work during a time I feel I need to be doing my best to keep my job. I’m struggling to be a parent + teacher + friend to my daughter at a time when she needs all of those, and all she has is me.“

“Finding work, worrying about how to pay my mortgage in the meanwhile, and feeling isolated during a time when I could use the company of friends and family. Living alone during a protracted lockdown is hard enough, but add in the stress of losing a lifelong job without a penny of severance and worrying about how to pay the bills makes me feel even more isolated. And since I’ll soon be losing my insurance, I need to make doctor appointments but not sure who is open or if I can even get medical care for non-Coronavirus things like mammograms, gyno appointments, hearing tests, etc.”

“People who cannot talk about anything but this virus; all the doomsday talk and the false statistics are not helping the situation at all.”

“Financially. My parents and siblings are out of work and haven’t received any help. I’m the only one working and I don’t make a lot for a family of 5.“

“Watching my retirement fund being depleted, not sure how long it will take to recoup the loss“

“Keeping my sanity! With four kids in the house, and two of them in elementary school, I feel like they aren’t learning to the capacity that they are used to so its very and extremely frustrating for me. I struggle with not being able to see my parents or my family and hug them and go over there and just be with them“

“Mental health. Feeling like there isn’t a divide between work and at home time/spaces”

“Fear of getting sick- because I have a few pre-existing conditions, I would almost certainly be in very real danger of dying if I got Covid-19.”

“I worry about my students in the juvenile detention centers, because we’re now up to 13 cases among students and staff across the 11 facilities in Maryland. The kids who have been exposed to another kid or a staff member who tests positive have to go on quarantine, which means they stay in their cells all day except for recreation (which isn’t very long) and showers — they even have to eat in their rooms. It’s almost like solitary confinement, which is horrible. They seem to be releasing several kids every day, and hardly bringing in any new kids, so I hope that continues. They need to get those kids out of there. I’m also struggling with watching/listening to too much news about how many people are dying every day and how sad it is that people with coronavirus often have to die alone, because it’s so contagious their family members can’t even be with them. And then they, or anyone who dies of anything right now, can’t even have a proper funeral and be comforted in person. I feel so sad about it. I’m also worried about my older (75+) family members, since just being older means they’re in a high risk group, as well as one family member who is an essential worker at a supermarket, and a few others who work at hospitals, medical facilities or nursing homes. And I also just miss normal life, being able to visit family and friends, and being able to travel. We had trips planned to go to DisneyWorld in Florida for my cousin’s wedding in June, to go to Seattle to visit friends in June, and to go on a big extended family trip to Italy at the end of June, and now all those plans have been postponed or cancelled. But, my husband and I are healthy and still have our jobs, so I consider ourselves very lucky.”

“Abstractly: Rewriting my five- and ten-year career plan. Concretely: Managing my children’s needs, especially for the one of them on the autism spectrum.“

“Concern for my mom when she has to go out to get supplies, anxiety about aggression from others due to Coronavirus xenophobia, and the possibility my husband may get infected at work.“

“I was not able to be with my elderly father during his hospitalization – I have tremendous grief over that. Am now dealing with the hospitalization of a close friend – and can’t do anything for her.”

“Not being able to exercise effectively; internally struggling because my boss wants me to run errands/go into the office when we are supposed to be staying home.”

“Mental health. I was already grieving due to a recent death in the family, and now I’m struggling with the loss of any sort of normalcy and feeling this this (being isolated and quarantined) isn’t really “living”.”

“Mental health problems. Wanting to be connected to people online but feeling overwhelmed by the content I encounter online. People taking extreme stances on pandemic related issues.”

“I miss my family. I miss the simple things in life. I miss not being able to just pop over to my moms house or go there for lunch. I miss not being able to hug and kiss my parents. I miss not being able to physically be with my two little nieces. I miss them so much that my heart physically hurts. I miss the simple things like going to coffee with friends or getting together for a girls night and celebrating birthdays.“

“What I miss most is being able to go to a place packed with people, like a wedding, a theater, a conference, or even the supermarket, and feel completely at ease, with no thought about how the people around me might get me sick, or I might get them sick. That’s what I miss the most. I also miss all the fun things we used to do outside of home: visiting family and friends, going out to eat, going to see a play, taking a fun class, traveling and being tourists.“

“I miss my friends, I miss long hugs without feeling like you need to hold your breath.  I worry that after the pandemic, I’ll still be super germaphobic for a long time.”

“Physical touch. Sex with my lover – we don ‘t live together. There’s a danger of this affecting the relationship. We’re aware of this, but awareness isn’t enough. Hugs from friends – my community of friends is a very physically affectionate one, and we need each other more than ever. Not even always hugs. Just close physical proximity. I’m lucky I have a cat who sleeps with me, snug up against me, and who also seems to need physical touch and proximity more than usual. Pets do pick up on our stress.”

“I miss the connection with people. The busyness of life the way that I could pack in so much in one way. It was a fun vibe. I miss having the safety and security of knowing that if I needed medical care that I would be able to just go to the doctor no questions asked, no fears. It’s a scary time to get medical care, even routine care right now.”

We’ll be publishing more research over the coming weeks

We conducted interviews with several participants and will be sharing highlights of those in the coming weeks. We will also be conducting a follow-up study in May to see how things are changing over time.

Subscribe for updates.

Please submit your research ideas!

Please send any suggestions for questions or topics of inquiry in our upcoming studies. We will continue to publish this data for free on our website and are hoping to provide insight in as many interesting areas as possible. So if you have an idea, please contact us.