How to Have a Tough Conversation When You're Quarantined

There's plenty of reasons to avoid having serious conversations with the people you're stuck inside with right now. You might feel like the awkwardness would be too much to handle, you may be waiting until you can actually leave after the chat, or you might even be worried that your mate lost their mind after just one day of quarantine and this talk could push them over the edge.

But avoiding topics can only go on so long. There are some ways you can bring something up without creating a hostile living situation. Here are a few tips.

Set a time limit. We only have so much social energy each day, and after a day of working from home, and endless Zoom calls, you're probably running too low on yours to jump into a serious convo. Your best bet is to set a time limit upfront on things. Say something like, "I've only got about 20 minutes, but I want to talk about this topic." It gives you the out after the time is up, and it saves some social energy.

Be genuine. When has a sarcastic question ever help any situation? Ask questions that you're genuinely curious about instead of leading questions that try to prove your point. Also, if you find yourself annoyed with someone, asking them a bunch of questions could flip your brain into feeling my empathy.

Listen. Just listen. When someone is talking, avoid your instincts to solve their problems, give them advice, or even make some bold predictions for them. Just listen. It's that simple. You might not even know how to respond, and that's ok. Just let them know that you heard them, you understand, and maybe ask how you could help.