Spread the love
Post Views: 1

COVID-19 put the world on hold, but it seems that love couldn’t be locked down in 2020, with couples stronger than ever post pandemic.

eharmony partnered with trusted Australian not-for-profit relationship services provider Interrelate to study the effects COVID-19 had on Aussie relationships and singles looking for love.

The commissioned research determined that almost all Australian couples (90%) have remained stable or improved their relationship since the start of the lockdown.

The fact that 92% of couples lived together, or moved in together, during the pandemic may make you ask how couples coped together 24/7. However, the non-stop companionship seems to have worked in their favour.

More than half (57%) of the couples who said their relationship improved are having more open and honest conversations, feel a stronger emotional connection, or have become more of a team.

New couples weren’t immune from the injection of love into their relationships. 1 in 10 couples (12%) who have been together for a year or less are now looking to purchase a house together, get married or have babies within the next 6 months.

It’s no surprise that as happy couples shared their relationship joy over Zoom catch ups, Instagram stories and TikTok dances, singles started getting a little jealous. Almost half of Aussie singles (46%) are open to finding love and meeting the one as the world opens back up again.

As Aussies look to lockdown love, flings may become a thing of the past in Australia, with 4 in 5 singles (80%) now giving casual relationships the flick post-2020. In fact, 1 in 3 (39%) singles are no longer wanting to waste time, looking to settle down with the one as soon as possible.

eharmony relationship expert Sharon Draper says she’s not surprised that the increase in quality time has strengthened relationships around the country.

“Quality time is hard to come by in modern society, and the global pandemic allowed couples to spend those moments together that they normally wouldn’t. Often there is no better way to feel connected to someone than to experience life together, side by side.”

Couples with kids also grew more connected, with 45% saying they felt closer to their whole family with their kids home as well, and a third (30%) saying they learnt more about their partner as a parent while they were home together.

“Lockdowns force a degree of closeness on couples that they may not see otherwise. That time together can allow couples to relax and open up to each other, leading to effective communication and allowing each individual to be themselves,” Sharon Draper added.

Interrelate also found that family relationships were thriving during the pandemic. Studies conducted by their Research and Innovation Department saw that parents were 94% more likely to have positive sentiments around their family connections.

Head of Research and Innovation at Interrelate Sharon Grocott said the Interrelate research also found 68% of couples are seeing their partners more since the start of the pandemic.

“COVID-19 presented significant complexities for all relationships, but we have certainly seen that the desire for connection within couples and family units has been heightened,” Sharon Grocott explained.

“This desire has seen the need for us at Interrelate to update our service offerings to be more functional and flexible in the digital landscape, as well as provide unique solutions for people in unique circumstances. Everyone experienced the pandemic differently, but ultimately relationships become key to our mental wellbeing and resilience through difficult times.”