LIFE

We have all been spending *a lot* more time at home over the past several months, and as fall approaches you may be feeling increasingly frustrated with the fact that schools are moving to virtual instruction. After all, this means continuing to be separated from your friends and trying to get all of your schoolwork done while your siblings and parents try to work from home at the same time. Sometimes with everyone in your fam spending 24/7 together in close quarters, your house can feel *way* too small! Luckily, there are some ways that you can be productive and happy while spending so much time at home. Here are a few tips that will help out your whole fam when it comes to working in a crowded quarantine home. 

Assign everyone a designated workspace 

Your classes are super important, and so are those for your siblings and the meetings that one or more of your parents may be hopping onto all day! With everyone having a lot of accomplish this fall, you may find it hard to focus or hear if you are all on Zoom right near each other. The best way to avoid this is to find a space where you can be completely alone and give your assignment the full and complete attention it deserves. If you have your own room, maybe you can complete your classwork there while Dad uses the home office and your little brother takes the kitchen table. Or on a nice day, you can head to the backyard and get some sun while taking notes on lectures. Getting into a regular routine with each member of the family understanding "their spot" for work hours can help everyone get things done more efficiently and peacefully. 

Implement a "closed-door" rule 

Some people like a little alone time to decompress after a long day-whether that involves a bath and pampering skincare routine or a nap after finishing homework-and spending all day, every day with your entire family can leave you feeling like you have nowhere to go to relax and enjoy some one-on-one time with yourself. Instead of allowing that to create tension among your family, have a conversation with your parents about needing an appropriate amount of private time within the home each day. If you decide to take some of that time, closing your door and having your parents respect it as "you time" can help keep spirits high and give you the mental health break you need. 

Family Meals 

Ironically, one way to ensure that you get privacy and personal space within your home is to set time to be around the rest of your fam. Planning to enjoy dinner together every night can help make it easier for everyone to do their own thing during the day without feeling like they are ignoring the other people in the home. By scheduling time for everyone to talk about their days and enjoy one another's company, quarantine can start to feel more normal and gives the freedom for everyone to go about their day in order to have fun stories to share later on. 

Find a unique hobby for yourself 

Whether it's taking up meditation, running, knitting, or baking, finding an activity that you like to do alone can help provide a mental break and some solo time for reflection each day. If the rest of your fam knows how much it helps you to go off on a late afternoon run, they will respect that and give you the space to go off by yourself. That way, you can participate in a really fun activity and ensure that you remain an individual with your own likes and dislikes even after so much interaction with people you are close to! 

How have you been surviving quarantine so far? Tag us @girlslifemag so we can see your at-home study selfies! 

by Lexi Casazza | 9/20/2020