Daily emotional well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak has become one of the largest public health crises of our time. Governments have responded by implementing self-isolation and physical distancing measures that have profoundly impacted daily life throughout the world. In this study, we aimed to investigate how people experience the activities, interactions, and settings of their lives during the pandemic. The sample (N = 604) were assessed in Ireland on the 25th March, 2020, following the closure of schools and non-essential businesses. We examined within-person variance in emotional well-being and how people spend their time. We found that while most time was spent in the home (74%), time spent outdoors (8%) was associated with markedly raised positive affect and reduced negative emotions. Exercising, going for walks, gardening, pursuing hobbies and taking care of children were the activities associated with the greatest affective benefits. Home schooling children and obtaining information about COVID-19 were ranked lowest of all activities in terms of emotional experience. These findings highlight activities that may play a protective role in relation to well-being during the pandemic, the importance of setting limits for exposure to COVID-19 related media coverage, and the need for greater educational supports to facilitate home schooling during this challenging period.

Social Study Resources and Social Wellbeing Before and During the Intelligent COVID-19 Lockdown in The Netherlands

“…Students in the Netherlands also showed no changes in their in-person social activities (Fried 2020). The COVID-19 lockdown may also have made students more aware of their SWB and social needs due to increasing media attention around the matter, therefore resulting in active efforts to manage such healthily and sustainably (Lades et al 2020). As such, despite the possible fear, apprehension and anxiety which may be resultant from the COVID-19 lockdown, students may be more active in identifying, managing and addressing their social needs (Ebrahim et al 2020;Zhang & Ma, 2020).…”

Essential and Vulnerable: Implications of Covid-19 for Farmers in Ireland

“…Surveys undertaken on behalf of the national health service in Ireland have reported that the highest levels of stress are being reported amongst families with younger children. 5 This is particularly acute amongst those where both spouses are working, or attempting to do so. The Teagasc National Farm Survey reports that 50% of farm households are characterised by either the farmer or the spouse working off farm.…”

Social distancing and wellbeing: conceptualizing actor distance and actor safe zone for pandemics

“…For example, due to crowded living conditions or inadequate service design, citizens might not be able to keep their distance which can potentially result in an increase in reported cases of viral infection (Corburn et al, 2020; Lufthansa to Athens, 2020). On the other hand, research also documents the detrimental effects of self-isolation and distancing on wellbeing (Lades et al, 2020). However, as stated above, this article goes beyond an understanding of social distancing and self-isolation as a mere physical separation, by broadening the notion of social distancing.…”

“…More specifically, measures taken or imposed on the population, such as social distancing, self-isolation and quarantine (Anderson et al, 2020), can alter an actor's perception of themselves in time and space and their relationship to other actors, objects or events (Trope et al, 2007). This can cause a decrease in health and wellbeing due to the emerging perceived distance (Lades et al, 2020), amongst other wellbeing concerns during times of disaster (Holmes et al, 2020;Zhang et al, 2020).…”