Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/267471 
Year of Publication: 
2022
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 15734
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
Using a nationally representative 24-hour diary survey covering the first two years of the pandemic, we explore the mechanisms underlying the changes in wellbeing for men and women. We exploit the variation in the stringency of social restrictions implemented by the UK government during this period and use an event-study methodology to net out the impact of social restrictions from other pandemic effects. We find that well-being dropped by 47% (men) and 70% (women) of a standard deviation during the strictest lockdown, and this effect survives after accounting for financial conditions and changes in local infection and death rates. Our data on time allocation and individual preferences over the activities undertaken throughout the day reveal that the drop in well-being is primarily driven by a drastic reduction in time spent in leisure with non-household members or outside the home.
Subjects: 
well-being
social isolation
time use
instantaneous enjoyment
COVID-19
JEL: 
I10
I14
I18
I30
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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