With many countries worldwide imposing self-quarantine at homes, some are doing their work from home. Not all live alone, and sometimes, we need to consider other people in the household when we do our work. So what can you do if, say, you and your partner are at home, and need to do your jobs remotely? Slate’s Christina Cauterucci shares some pointers on how couples can maintain their sanity and their relationship while working at home:
Make Optimal Use of Your Space
If you’ve been blessed with a home containing multiple rooms with chairs and tables, carve out a bit of personal workspace for each person, then designate another spot—like a kitchen table or couch—as a common area where you can both work when you want company. If working in separate rooms isn’t an option, give each person a primary working area as a home base, preferably on opposite ends of your space, then switch up as needed.
Get Good Headphones
Almost everyone recommended these, both for background music and to accommodate differing appetites for consuming coronavirus news throughout the day. Here’s a nice budget pair.
Consider Getting a Hotspot if Your Wi-Fi Sucks
Nothing fosters impotent rage like slow Wi-Fi. Is your internet plan too feeble for two full-time workers? Maybe someone’s employer will spring for a hotspot.
Be Honest About Your Work Styles
Do you welcome interruptions or prefer to be left alone? What breaks your concentration, and what constitutes a break-worthy emergency or pleasant opportunity to chat? Set a few boundaries and ground rules. It’s natural to want a few breaks for socializing throughout the day, but it’s unlikely that your working rhythm will always sync up with your partner’s. Find the balance of workday communication that feels right for you.
Share Your Work Schedules
As I told my wife: I wouldn’t have made my soup at 1:30 p.m. if I’d known she’d be unmuted on an important client call at 1:30 p.m.! Most at-home workers have even more phone and video calls on their schedules now than they did before coronavirus made in-person meetings inadvisable or illegal. Start a shared calendar or check in every morning to let your partner know when’s a bad time to enter the living room in a towel and when you’ll need them to stop yelling across the room about the dog’s diarrhea. Even better, take your work calls outside.
image via Slate