Hydro survey shows people changing up daily routines

The vast majority of British Columbians have changed up their daily routines during the pandemic, with many starting the daily grind later in the morning, according to a B.C. Hydro survey.

The Powering the New Normal report found that, while residential power usage remains normal, the COVID-19 virus has shifted weekday electricity use so that it peaks later in the morning and earlier in the evening, and now more closely resembles typical weekend patterns.

B.C. Hydro says this can be attributed to residents sleeping in later, showering less, and cooking and watching TV more.

Since mid-march, nearly 90 per cent of British Columbians reported drastically shifting their daily routines, including nearly 40 per cent who are working at home five days a week, according to the survey.

With no commute for many, 40 per cent said they wake up later on weekdays, and of those, 60 per cent they wake up more than an hour later.

Other findings include that 45 per cent said they’re eating breakfast at a later time, and 24 per cent said they’re showering less often and for shorter periods of time in the morning.

Almost half of those surveyed said they’re cooking more now than they were pre-pandemic, and almost a quarter are making dinner earlier these days.

Some 60 per cent of respondents admitted to watching more TV and livestreaming more videos on the weekend than they did before the virus, while 15 per cent are watching more during the work week. A majority — 67 per cent — said they have finished at least one TV series since the pandemic began.