So, for the past few weeks, your social isolation game has been on point. You’ve happily cocooned yourself in the bosom of your home, ploughing through long-neglected chores and your Netflix watch list like a boss.
But, you live in a share house and you have that one flatmate whose idea of social distancing is going on a nice long meandering stroll along the Bathers Way before settling down for a tranquil picnic in Civic Park.
Just how do you break it to this lockdown scofflaw that they need to get with the program and isolate, already?
Well, thankfully mental health expert Professor John Hurley from the University Of NSW says that while dealing with such a situation can be tricky, it’s not impossible.
“The best advice I can give to people who want to inform a housemate about the importance of social distancing is being able to let them know your position, but doing so without any heavy emotion,” Professor Hurley, a specialist in youth and mental health and emotional intelligence, said.
“No matter what your situation is, you can’t actually make other people do what you want them to do. They have to make a personal choice regarding their own personal responsibility. The best you can do is have a direct honest conversation.”
Top tips
1. You need to work out what outcome you want
2. Regulate your own emotion
3. Do everything and say everything in a way that will help get the outcome you want
Professor Hurley added that the secret to success in this potentially rense exchange was to try not to be so dang judgy!
“It’s appropriate to let the person know their decision not to isolate could impact vulnerable people, and ask them if that is the kind of person they’d like to be,” he said.
“That way they are required to reflect on their own behaviour without you judging their behaviour.
“Where possible it is beneficial to foster positive housemate relationships and feelings of ‘being in this together’ and being on the same team, as these are the people you may be spending a fair bit of time with under the same roof.”
So, there you have it!
