The coronavirus has bought stress into our lives on many different levels. If being faced with a global pandemic wasn’t bad enough, a lot of us have now had to move back in with our family homes.
Although we should all be thankful that we have a safe place to call home, the adjustment from living on your own or with a group of friends to living back with your family members can be a tricky one, particularly if you’re all packed into a small space. If you all want to come out alive with your relationships intact, then we suggest taking some of our tips into consideration. Here are our suggestions on how to cope with living with your family during the lockdown period.
Put things into perspective
These times are unprecedented – you will hopefully never be faced with a situation like this again! Likewise, you’ll probably never have the opportunity to spend as much time with your family members as you will over the coming weeks. With that in mind, make the most of the situation and appreciate the time with your family that COVID-19 has given you. By trying to be more appreciative, your mindset will automatically become more positive, making the time spent in isolation a whole lot easier. If you’re finding yourself at a loose end, maybe do something that you’ve always wanted to do but have never had time for; take up that new hobby whilst you’ve got the time to dedicate to it, as being productive will also help to improve your mentality.
Take time out for yourself
As much as you should make the most out of spending time with your family, it’s equally as important to make sure you spend time away from them. Being in each other’s pockets 24/7 is never a good idea and is often the cause of arguments and tension. Obviously, activities you can do during your ‘me time’ are limited, but maybe you could go for a walk or take up that new hobby that’s solely for you. Also, make sure to keep in contact with your friends and family who you’re not living with by phone call or Facetime. Finding this ‘me time’ and family time balance could be the key to a stress-free quarantine experience.
Find things that you enjoy doing together
It could be a great idea to use this isolation period as an opportunity to find out more about your family members and their interests. Find an element of fun in the every day and try and do things together that you all enjoy. This might be baking, playing board games, or even making Tik Tok’s together as a family. If you’re all missing going out to restaurants or the pub, you could make your house into a makeshift bar crawl with each room being a different theme. Be inventive and get creative with the resources you have!
Try not to push each other’s buttons
Achieving harmony in a house full of frustrated people is never going to be an easy task. Whilst there’s always going to be arguments and bickering, try not to get on your family members’ nerves too much. This may sound a bit obvious, but with tensions heightened, the smallest of things could send someone’s frustrations over the edge. So, make life a bit easier for yourself and everyone else by doing what is asked of you by other people and not purposely causing rifts between family members. The last thing you’d want is to be stuck in a house where everyone hates each other!
Remember that this will all be over soon
Whilst the coronavirus might seem to be the be-all and end-all at the moment, it won’t last forever. Even though no one is sure when lockdown will finish, you will at some point be set free from the clutches of your family home. Therefore, bear this in mind when you start to feel a bit overwhelmed or claustrophobic from living in a small space with too many people. Instead of getting angry at the situation you’re currently in, maybe start planning for what you want to do when quarantine is over. Your usual day-to-day will at some point resume, and you might even miss the time you had available to spend with your loved ones. Make the most of it whilst you can!
