Home becomes every introvert’s haven after long, tedious work. However, how bad could it be if your supposed sanctuary is as blaring as the bustling world outside?
Introversion is awesome, but not until your parents or kids nag you for attention. Is it a drag to work from home while with extroverted kids? How do you survive a noisy family as an introvert without losing your temper?
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Can I order a bucket of patience, please?
As an introvert who started working from home due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, and someone who stays in a family of 6, you can imagine how much struggle and distractions I get at home.
Just to clear things out, most in my family are introverts. However, they’re the loud, debate-lovers, and opinionated introvert type. Yes, they exist.
While they may not be interactive with other people, they love engaging and bickering with each other. They could argue about anything from politics down to one’s choice of words.
Sometimes, it’s fun. But oftentimes, it’s chaotic and I can’t keep up with all the noise, raised voices, and their random questions that keep popping up.
Fortunately, necessity is the mother of all inventions. I need to survive, hence, I came up with strategies to reduce the overbearing stimulation I get at home.
How to survive in a loud family as an introvert
How to deal with a noisy family as an introvert? Here are 5 tips and strategies you can try. As of now, I’m still in the right mental state so I think this works just fine. Here we go:
1. Go to the quietest place in the house.
Obviously. Let your family entertain each other while you seek solace in your room, out on the balcony, or in the study hall. However, if they’re trying to talk to you, you need to respond casually so no one would call out how you’re trying to escape from their sight.
2. Tell them how noise easily distracts you.
It’s better to tell your family how noise distracts you rather than sucking it all up until your anger bucket gets full.
Of course, my family doesn’t 100% cooperate even after I tell them. When this happens, I take initiative to indirectly remind them.
Like, whenever my sister barges into the room, I look at her for a second and comically grab my head and say, “Can you not enter like that, my thoughts all fly away!” (Which is true). My sister laughs it off but I’d notice they would be quieter next time they come in.
Avoid shouting at them or putting them in contempt. Often, informing rather than shoving your anger onto their faces gets through them better.
3. Use some earplugs and noise-canceling headphones.
This is by far the easiest and my go-to strategy when I can’t keep the whole clan quiet.
My parents’ natural speaking voice is to shout. Thankfully, I got my handy-dandy earplugs to reduce the noise at a bearable level. It may not completely stop the background, but it’s enough to help me hear myself.
As an introvert, noise can distract us from listening to our inner voice. Earplugs and noise-canceling headphones help you retain focus.
Interested in owning one? You can check these noise reduction earplugs and active noise-canceling headphones on Amazon.
4. Find solace outside of your home.
Got too exhausted at home? Then go somewhere quiet. Treat yourself, eat out alone, or visit the bookstore alone. You will find comfort in purposeful walks while having overall control of your time.
An introvert’s alone time doesn’t equate to loneliness. Rather, it’s the time to self-reflect and appreciate our surroundings better.
5. Set a good balance between solitude and social interaction.
Your family will always reach out to you – anytime, anywhere. From your perspective, it’s draining especially when you’re not in the mood to talk.
However, if we look closely, some introverts may not realize how the extroverts around us deal with loneliness, too.
Let’s say, you get annoyed with your parents constantly talking to you, but from another angle, your parents have a few people they can talk to. Or maybe you’re the only one on their list?
Hence, it’s important that while seeking solitude and silence from your family, remember that they also seek quality time with you.
Bonus read: 7 Tips How to Be Happy as an Introvert
That’s how I do it
Subtly introduce introversion to your family. You don’t need to explain the science behind but giving them consistent unrepulsive patterns will help them recognize your preferences.
How to survive in an extroverted family?
Speak up about having a quiet time, or else you will end up in an outburst of stress and frustration. If you work on making your introversion known to them, instead of slamming your doors, then you’d eventually reach a place of harmony and balance with your extroverted family.
I set a good balance between bonding with them and locking myself inside my room. I don’t force them to conform with my introversion.
Rather, we co-exist and it’s important for introverts and extroverts to understand both sides of the situation.
There you go. Hope this helps you deal with your extroverted family. 🙂
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