11 Helpful Tips For Finding Peace When You Are Working From Home With Multiple People

It can be difficult to work at home when everyone's at home! Here are some tips to make it a little easier. GEICO's also here to make your life a little easier! Switch to see how much you could save on car insurance.

1. Set the rules upfront in a group meeting and make sure everyone agrees and understands.

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You want a designated quiet time? Let it be known. You need 40-minute blocks of uninterrupted work? Communicate that. Your roommate/partner/child could be unknowingly bothering you if you don't set up your boundaries ahead of time, so have a group meeting where everyone can discuss what accommodations they'll need while working from home.

2. Make sure everyone is aware of the daily schedule.

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Every day will probably be different in your work from home situations, so it's good to make a daily schedule that's posted/shared somewhere so everyone in your household can reference it. (Or explained thoroughly to your kids.)

3. If you have a partner to help you, trade off who will supervise the kids at different time blocks.

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Especially if your kids are young, they may need more supervision throughout the day. If your work allows your hours to be more flexible, discuss with your partner the best schedule that works for the two of you. Two heads are better than one!

4. Have good communication with your manager and coworkers.

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In times like this, it's not bad to overcommunicate. Have regular check-ins with your manager and let them know the status of your work. Work out a schedule that can accommodate with childcare or any other needs that you may need to take care of during the day. Check in with your coworkers over video to let them know how you're doing and save some time for "water cooler" chitchat.

5. Take scheduled breaks.

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It can be super easy to forget to eat lunch or just even get up and walk around when you're working from home. Make sure to account for breaks into your schedule, and if you have kids, this would be a welcome time for them to blow off some steam and run around. If you can go outside, go for some fresh air.

6. Let everyone have their own "work from home space."

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Even if you can't physically be in a different room, you can create your own space. Sitting in your "work from home space" can physically signal to others that it's work time and that you shouldn't be interrupted.

7. And keep these work spaces separate from "living spaces."

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If there isn't any room to have separate spaces, know when it's time to overturn a work space into a living space.

8. Use noise-canceling headphones.

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If you cannot physically be separate from other people in small living quarters, noise-canceling headphones or even regular headphones are the next best thing. They can also signal, "Hey, I'm working here!" to anyone else.

9. Have a second (and third and fourth...) plan for your kids if they get bored during the day.

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Depending on how old they are, it could include arts and crafts activities, puzzles, and yes, even TV and internet devices.

Let your kids know when they're doing a good job, too! They'll appreciate the positive reinforcement from you, and they'll be more likely to let you get on your next conference call uninterrupted. 🙏

10. When you're off the clock, actually stop working.

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A work-life balance is so important now! There's always one more email that you can send, or one more to-do to check off. It can be difficult, but log off when the workday is done. There will always be more time tomorrow to check emails.

11. Be kind to yourself and know that things won't always go as planned.

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Flexibility is key in times like this. There will be days when even though you prepared as best as you could, distractions happen. Life happens. Be forgiving to yourself and the other members of your house, and try again tomorrow!

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