Stuck at home? COVID-19 has forced individuals and families into quarantine, and for some of us, this means a very full house. Whether you are lucky enough to be able to work from home, or you’re all inside because of quarantine mandates, it may be testing your patience to the max. Read on for our top tips for maintaining sanity with a full house.
1. Working From Home
If you are one of the lucky ones able to do your job at home, you may have discovered there is a bit of an adjustment period. Your family members may think that working from home means you are available whenever they need you, but often this is simply not the case. You’ll want to sit down with your family and let them know that just because you are working from home does not mean you can be at their beck and call 24/7. Explain that you need to be left alone during working hours, and if there are any immediate needs, family should at the very least, knock before entering your area.
If you do not have a separate room to call an office, make sure to explain to your family that they need to be quiet around you while you are working from home and try to avoid the same area you are operating from. If you are a single parent, it may help to interweave together your work schedule with your children’s schooling schedule as much as possible. Depending on how much supervision your children need, you may be able to spend a half an hour with them helping with school, and then while they work on projects or reading assignments, you are free to schedule work meetings and catch up on your own assignments. Giving your children attention while you are able to can also help to minimize video call interruptions when it comes time to do your job.
The new normal – what working from home looks like when stuck at home. Image: Gatis Sluka
2. Unemployed and stuck at home
If you’ve been laid off due to COVID-19, this can certainly feel like a very scary and overwhelming time. These are not normal circumstances, and collectively, we are living through a crisis. With so much upheaval and uncertainty surrounding us, it helps to focus on what can be controlled. People have started receiving their stimulus checks, which can go a long way in helping to bridge the gap while unemployed. Read more about when and how you’ll be getting your stimulus check.
You are also eligible for unemployment benefits if you’ve lost your job due to a layoff, downsizing, or a closure and you meet your state’s minimum earnings requirement. And due to the stimulus package, in addition to your stimulus check, you are also eligible to receive an extra $600 weekly on top of unemployment benefits.
3. Maintain a Schedule
One of the best methods for maintaining your sanity in a house full of family is to stick to a schedule as much as possible. Schedules help you to establish a routine, and having a routine that you can rely on helps to relieve stress. If your household is used to waking up at 6 am every day to get ready for work or school, then it helps to maintain that schedule still – even if there is seemingly no reason to.
Adhering to a schedule comes with many benefits and will act as a barometer for normalcy. It will also help when things do return to normal that you have maintained a dependable schedule – there will be less of an adjustment back to “real life.” Every decision we have to make adds to stress levels and weakens self-control. Adhering to a schedule means one less thing to make a decision about daily. In addition to lower stress levels, maintaining a schedule helps you to enjoy quality time with loved ones, frees up your time for activities you actually enjoy, and helps you to sleep better.