Ok fine, we’re working from home and learning from home. We figured it out: kids in the basement, one per room, mom in the den and dad in the office on the second floor.
But what if you do not have a basement, or a den, or a second floor? How many rooms do you actually need to have in order to be able to do this properly, meaning, protect concentration sufficiently so that you can do what you need to do, and still live happily ever after? And what if you do not have them?
Photo by Minh Pham
Anything one does needs concentration. Granted, not everyone can concentrate in the same way, or, not every task requires the same level of concentration, this is the one ingredient that is common to everything we do.
When all activities are part of the home, let’s look at how little space you need to do this properly and not invite chaos and madness in.
First of all what do you need and what needs to happen? Let’s take the 4 people in the house scenario: 2 adults and 2 kids.
Headphones!
This is the easy fix: If you have a task that needs concentration but no talking, headphones are a must and with them, you’re solved. You can be sitting right next to someone watching TV and not be bothered. Of course, you better get the best kind.
This potentially gets the kids going except during the times when they would need to speak in an online class. So in case all other space is taken, bathrooms can easily become your phone/facetime booth as they are most likely the one room in your home with a door on it.
Portability
Laptops, tablets, phones big enough to do anything on are an absolute must.
Easy, quick-cooking food
Not as intuitive but think about it: if you work from the kitchen and someone is trying to cook it’s not ideal and concentration will break
This is a tough one. The second someone is sick, especially an adult, all they need is peace and quiet and a separate room. So there has to be a space for temporary sickness and recovery during which the rest of the crowd may have to be moving their workspace around.
Photo by Freddie Marriage
So how many rooms does it take for 4 people in these conditions and with all this gear, to All! do this on an ongoing basis? I think three plus bathroom:
1.one room with a bed for the sick
2. one room for meal prep and the one that does not work because he or she are prep-ing the meal
3. one room for the one that needs most concentration
4. And last, one available bathroom to act as facetime/zoomtime booth for either one at one time
But.. what if you don’t have three rooms? Can we all do it in one room? Stay tuned! We will research – and most importantly, think! – HOW? and let you know how!
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