Keeping Time While Cohabitating

 Working and Going to School From My Room

So, I know I am not the only one trying to navigate working, going to classes, and spending time with family. If you are like me and are lucky enough to have not had to keep away from your family during the duration of this pandemic, then you also know that keeping your time working/going to class and spending time with family (or alone) can be quite difficult. I am living with my mom, dad, and sister, and three of us are working and/or distance learning. My mom, sister, and I all work in our own rooms luckily, but that does not stop us from walking around the house to each other's rooms just to get away from the computer screen. Though things have been working out okay, I have needed to make some changes to keep time and distance myself from distractions with others also working and/or learning from home.

Solutions

I am the only person in my house that has regularly scheduled zoom meetings. That being said, I got pretty tired of having to remind my family that I will be in class/work and I need to be left alone or it needs to be quiet outside of my room. So, I first tried to just share my Google Calendar with all of them so I wouldn't need to keep reminding everyone I was going to be working or in a class meeting. That did not work because no one bothered to check it before knocking on my door or just welcoming themselves into my Zoom meeting background. 

The Final Solution that has actually worked was literally just printing my Google Calendar and taking it eye-level to my bedroom door (with "Look Here Before You Try To Bother Me" written on it). This has worked and I have actually been able to train my sister to check it before asking me if I want to go get coffee at a certain time (since she doesn't have synchronous class meetings). If your schedule does not change often, I would 100% suggest printing a schedule and taping it to your door!