Time Budget of Inhabitants of Large Cities in Poland During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract Introduction. The aim of the research is to determine the structure of the day – the time devoted to various activities – of the inhabitants of large cities in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic, taking into account the workweek-weekend cycle. Material and methods. Time budget studies – using qualitative research methods (structured interview, including self-reporting) – were conducted in December 2020 among residents of selected 9 large cities in Poland. The research was based on self-reporting by the respondents for one week. The results were analysed using three parameters: the average duration of the activity, the average time of performing the activity, the percentage of people performing the activity. Results. The daytime structure of inhabitants of large cities during the pandemic included 9.19 h (39% day time) for physiological activities, 8.30 h (36%) for duties, 5.49 h (24%) for leisure time and 0.20 h (1%) for commute. Relative to the 2013 GUS survey, there was a decrease in the amount of time spent commuting to work/school (72% decrease), physiological needs (15% decrease) and housework (15% decrease), More time than before the pandemic (51% increase in the amount of time) was devoted to work, and leisure time was spent on sports and recreation (125% increase in the amount of time) and using mass media (16%). Conclusions. COVID-19 pandemic and the associated restrictions have significantly impacted our daily lives and how we use our time.