Most of us have been in quarantine due to COVID-19 for over two months now. Many families have at least one, if not both parents working from home. In addition, they have to home school their children and keep up with the rest of the daily activities. Everyone is trying to crowd into your home at the same time. Some families were used to having their teenagers around very rarely and now they’re around 24/7 eating you out of house and home. This is enough to wreak havoc and stress on anyone. These tips will help you divide your space so you and your family can live harmoniously.
- To begin, accept that this is your new “normal” for the foreseeable future. You can’t change the stay-at-home order so you’ll have to adapt to this new “flex-home.”
- Try to arrange different workspaces. Some of us are lucky enough to have two home offices, but if you’re not one of them consider dividing the kitchen or office you do have. This may entail adding an extra desk. However, you may still have to work in shifts, especially if one of you has a scheduled video conference and one of you needs to type up a report in silence.
- Plan a schedule. This will help you know your daily work duties, as well as your children’s routines. Sometimes it might be easier to get work done first thing in the morning and let your children sleep in before they invade the rest of the house. If your children are younger, aim to schedule a video conference or phone call during nap time to avoid chaos. Talk to your spouse about splitting responsibilities so one of you oversees homework in the kids’ rooms, while the other can concentrate on work.
- Organize your kitchen. Keep cut-up fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator so they’re easy to grab when anyone is hungry. If you’re on a budget and have never-ending hungry eaters, consider giving each family member a basket at the start of the day. Fill it with items, such as bottled water, fruit, and bags of popcorn. When the snack basket is empty, they don’t get any more to eat, other than scheduled meals.
These are the issues we’re currently dealing with. Over the next several weeks, we’ll discuss how to transform your office space, your kitchen, and your outdoor space to fit these times. If you would like more tips, please contact Refresh Organizers & Designers at (510) 570-1292.
