How to Ignore Someone You Live With

How to ignore someone you live with

Whether you don’t get along with a sibling or are fighting with a roommate, there are moments when you simply need some distance from the person with whom you live. Taking some time apart might help you both clear your minds and reflect on your interactions with one other. Create physical and mental space while ignoring someone. Find a technique to overlook their undesirable behaviors while still managing your emotions. When you’re ready, speak to the other individual about reaching a peaceful arrangement.

Minimizing Your Interactions

1. Respond respectfully but firmly. Don’t scrimp on etiquette if you want to keep your talk to a minimum. Be nice, but don’t feel obligated to engage in lengthy discussions. Maintain a courteous demeanor in your encounters, but deliver the sense that you are unwilling to engage in lengthy conversation.
For example, if someone asks you a question, react with a simple “yes” or “no” and don’t go into detail.

2. Respond in a neutral manner. If whatever the individual is doing or saying irritates you, don’t feel obligated to reply to it. Ignore the person’s conduct if it bothers you. Be non-reactive and don’t allow things get to you, especially if they like getting a rise out of you. It’s inconvenient to live with someone who sets you off. For example, if your roommate wants to chat and you’re not in the mood to converse, just excuse yourself. “I know you want to speak about your workplace drama, but now isn’t the time for me,” you say.
Avoid emotional reactions. Instead, take a deep breath and answer calmly and level-headedly.

3. Manage your nonverbal communication. If you’re going to disregard the other person, be mindful of your nonverbal communication with them. Avoid, for example, eye rolling, grumbling under your breath, or giving them a disgusted glance. Even if you aren’t speaking vocally, your actions may be communicating. Maintain a neutral expression on your face and body. No matter how hard they try to elicit a rise out of you, don’t stiffen up or display your reactions on your face.

4. Put a stop to your response to angry comments. When someone is rude or severe, it’s tough to ignore them. If the individual has a habit of putting you down or treating you disrespectfully, it’s best to ignore these remarks if you don’t want to quarrel or get offended. If someone say something hurtful to you and you don’t want to go into it, avoid responding by saying nothing. You may avoid recognizing their statements by simply saying, “I’m not interested in participating in this conversation, particularly if you’re going to shout at me,” and then saying nothing further.
Avoid allowing their bad conduct to impact you. You may think that you are surrounded by a bubble that repels their insults and criticism.

Managing the Shared Space

1. If the music is too loud, put on headphones. If you need to block out the noise made by the other person, put on headphones and listen to music. To de-stress, listen to peaceful and tranquil music. Listen to energetic and uplifting music if you want to feel optimistic or positive. If they’re really loud, invest in some noise-cancelling headphones.

2. Make physical partitions. Consider how you will physically ignore the individual. Use separate toilets, for example, and avoid places where they often congregate. Spend time in your room if they are watching television in the living room, and vice versa.
For example, if your roommate takes over a shelf, designate one shelf for each individual and make it plain that they are only to use their own shelves.

3. You have a different timetable than others do. If they have a habit of sleeping in, get up and go to work early. If they remain home on weekends, you should go out. You may even make minor changes to your timetable. For example, when the individual is brushing their teeth in the bathroom, you may continue sleeping or eat breakfast. Learn about the person’s routine and attempt to prevent scheduling conflicts, particularly if you share a bedroom.
Various people go to bed and wake up at different times. If your schedules are comparable, make some alterations, such as going for a morning run to ensure you’re up and out of the house before interacting with them.

4. Spend more time away from the home. Getting out of the home more often is one of the finest methods to put space between you and the individual. Instead of going straight home after school or work, see a friend, go for a stroll in the park, go shopping, or go to the gym. Spending less time at home might help you clear your mind and avoid running into the other person.

• Plan activities for most evenings of the week after school or work, particularly if you know they will be home. As an added plus, this may help you maintain a thriving social life!
• Find clubs or activities before or after school if you’re a student. Participate in a study group, a sport, or an extracurricular activity that you like.

5. Avoid participating in group activities. Find other activities to what you do together. For instance, if you and the individual have a habit of watching television together, watch your program at a friend’s home instead. Take your laundry somewhere else if you do it together. Take a break from your group activities.

• If this person is counting on you to be there (for example, to give them a ride), inform them that you will not be accessible and that they must devise another plan.
• If you and the individual have mutual friends, you may need to take a vacation from that group for a while.

Supporting Yourself

1. Take a few slow, deep breaths. If you are continually irritated by the person and their negative behaviors, find methods to relax so that you are not always unhappy at home. Begin by taking a few deep breaths to relax your mind and body. Slowly inhale, then slowly exhale. Perform a few cycles of deep breathing and pay attention to how you feel. If you don’t feel calm, continue to take deep breaths until you do.

2. Regularly de-stress. You’ll want to discover methods to de-stress, especially if you’re avoiding the person you live with because you don’t get along. Exercises known to reduce stress, such as yoga and meditation, should be practiced. Making time for enjoyment is an excellent approach to de-stress and have a wonderful time.
Exercise is another technique to de-stress and maintain your body in good working order. Instead of going to the gym, consider hiking, riding, or dancing lessons.

3. Spend time with your pals. Try not to get too caught up in the drama with your roommate and let go a little so you can have some fun. Spending time with friends allows you to get out of the home and interact with people who care about you. Your buddies are there to aid you if you need to vent about the problem or get away from it.
Talking to a trustworthy friend about what’s going on at home might be beneficial. Even if they can’t assist you better your living condition, getting encouragement from friends may be soothing.

4. Spend some time alone. Consider this time to be a chance to devote more attention to yourself. Experiment on your own and spend time getting to know yourself. Some alone time may even be beneficial: alone time may help you better understand yourself and boost your productivity. Engage in solitary hobbies such as journaling or producing art.
Spend time alone if you don’t have your own room by going for walks or spending time outdoors.

5. Speak with a therapist. If your living condition just adds to your stress and you’re unable to cope, go to a therapist. They may assist you in better managing your emotions and coping with stress. They may also assist you in developing abilities to engage in a new or more productive manner.
Contact your insurance company or a local mental health center to find a therapist. You may also acquire a referral from a doctor or a friend.

Making Changes to Where You Live

1. Investigate your choices. You may feel imprisoned with the person with whom you live because they are your family, you are underage, or you signed a lease with them. Consider various alternatives, even if they are just temporary. While you may feel trapped, there may be some solutions available to you. Consider some options and determine whether they are feasible.

• If you live at home, for example, check if you can spend one night a week with your cousins or a summer with your aunt.
• If you have a lease with someone, you may be allowed to locate a new roommate, or you may be required to break the contract and pay a fee.

2. Temporarily reside someplace else. If you can temporarily stay at a friend’s place, do so. While this isn’t ideal, it may help you establish space and spend time away from the person you live with. Removing yourself from the circumstance might help you clear your mind and consider solutions to fix the problem or enhance your living situations.

• If you reside with one parent, for example, ask if you may live with the other or spend more time at their place. Alternatively, check if you can attend more sleepovers with your best buddy.
• This is just a short-term remedy. Use it just to achieve clarity and to assist you in problem-solving.

3. If you have the choice, leave. Consider your choices for moving out if the situation has grown intolerable and you can’t envision living with the individual any longer. You may not be able to go right away, but you may make plans for when you can. If you care about the individual, consider if continuing to live together will be better or worse for your relationship in the long term. Moving out may be a smart decision if it can salvage your relationship.

• Moving away may be impossible if you are under the age of 18, have limited financial means, and/or rely on your family.
• You may need to find a temporary solution while you seek for a new house or save up for a down payment.