It’s March 2020. There’s a virus that’s spreading across the world. To keep it from spreading further, you’ve been asked by your company to work from home… and your partner has been asked the same. You are now both at home until some arbitrary end date in April (or there might not even be an end date to this)! This will probably be the most time you two spend together throughout these next few weeks. You might get a little stir crazy, but have no fear. Jesse and I collaborated on this post to help you two get through working from home together.
Jesse and I live together and work together, which means every waking moment we see each other. We even sit close to each other – if I turn around from my desk he is right there. I actually spend more time with Jesse than anyone else I know right now. So, I feel like we were made for these quarantine-esque moments. We actually look forward to spending this much time together, but realistically speaking, there will be moments we’ll get annoyed with each other – it happens, we’re human. We’re planning on making the most out of this WFH life and sharing our tips for you and your partner to do the same.
Stick to both of your regular schedules
Although you’re both most likely going to be sleeping in a bit later because you don’t have to commute into work, stick to your schedule as much as possible to keep some level of normalcy and consistency. Try to wake up at the time you normally would and stick to whatever morning routine you have set up for yourself. For some, morning routines are those quiet moments alone before the craziness of the day. This also includes any schedule you might have throughout the day and in the evening. A lot of me and Jesse’s routine revolves around Lilo. I will walk her in the morning because I normally walk her in the morning and I feed her breakfast. During Jesse’s afternoon walk, we’ll take her to the dog park like we normally would after work and he will feed her dinner. Then our night time routine remains the same since we’re both home during that time anyway so not much would change here. The key is to do what you would normally do throughout the week, whether together or separate, to create that consistency in a time where things feel out of whack.
Spend quality time together
Jesse and I spend a lot of time together – we’re around each other more times than we are not. But, not every couple is in a similar situation. Take this time of quarantine to enjoy each other’s company. As I mentioned before, this will probably be the most time you spend together throughout your week. If your schedules are similar, you can wake up and eat breakfast together. Whether it’s a full breakfast or a cup of coffee, you can start your day with love. During the afternoon if your work schedule allows, meaning you don’t have any meetings that overlap, take 30 minutes to an hour to make and eat lunch together. It will force you to take a break from your computer and you can spend some time together in the middle of the day. Even if there is nothing to actually talk about, eating in the same room is always an enjoyable moment that can bring you closer together. Other things you can do is take a walk outside together or watch a 30 minute show together to take your mind off of work.
Be respectful of each other’s workspace
It’s important that the both of you create your own workspace that you stick to consistently similar to if you were going to your desk in the office. This will eliminate any arguments or annoyance on the type of space the both of you are taking up. In the morning, possibly while you two are enjoying coffee together, go through your meeting schedule. Make sure that you are respectful of the meetings you both will have. Remind each other a few minutes before your meeting starts in case anyone needs to move into a different room. If there isn’t an extra room to move into comfortably, wear headphones and make sure your partner is in complete silence. If you or your partner likes to have the TV on (like mine does), be mindful of the volume. If it is too loud, ask to lower it or lower it yourself if you are being asked. Here might also be a good moment to wear headphones if any sound is outside of what you both want to listen to. If there are blocks of time where you are both doing deep work, you can put on a playlist or podcast you both like (currently a Coffee Shop playlist on Spotify is on while I am working on this post and Jesse is working on something else). Although we’re in the same room, I don’t feel distracted and feel like I am in my own space.
The important thing here is that you openly communicate with each other on what your schedules are and how you like to do your work. Neither of you will know how you work or what type of work you even do, so it’s important you keep a level of understanding and respect for each other’s space. But, more importantly, enjoy the quality time together. This is definitely a moment to take advantage of since you’re going to be sharing the same space for many hours throughout the day – try not to kill each other, okay?