How to Work at Home with a Roommate

So, your office got moved from a cushy co-working space, a standing desk downtown, an open office with a weekly happy hour to your Ikea furniture filled home with a makeshift desk facing a wall. What are you going to do? *cue impending doom music*

Well, for one, be grateful that you have an income at all because many people are not as fortunate. And two, it’s time to adapt! Here are some ways that my roommate and I have learned to work (physically) together since our college coffee shops days:

Share the space

All parties are out of their element just trying to keep their level of productivity high, so be understanding that the best spot in the house to work may get a little cozier. This can also pour over to little things such as sharing a laptop charger or an afternoon pot of coffee. Be open to share — safely, of course.

Don’t overlap calls (if possible)

Zoom, Hangouts, Slack, or the good ol’ cell phone, we’re all having calls much more frequently than we normally would. If you can, try to alternate calls so you both aren’t on the phone at the same time. Background noise, loud AC units, car alarms, and pets are already a distraction, both of you trying to hold a video call together would be near impossible.

Set up your working space

For me and my roomie, we try to separate our home life and work life. Meaning, we don’t have desks in our rooms because we leave work at the office — not really, but we can dream! So now our common areas have turned into our hustle headquarters. Sometimes we set up together on the dining table, other times we disperse to the patio and living room. Just find what works for your home and be understanding if rooms don’t fit their originally intended use.

Break up the day

Not everyone works 9-to-5s, but that doesn’t mean you can’t separate work and play. If you’re working similar hours, have some fun together! Become lunch buddies and rest your eyes, go for a walk to end out the day, or enjoy some breakfast and coffee in the morning.

Are you having to share your space with your roomie or significant other now? If so, how are you avoiding conflict, staying productive, and getting used to the “new normal”?