23-year-old works from home while living with parents, protests when they interrupt her work day: 'I am out of energy'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Jul 9, 2026 4:30 PM EDT

How much privacy should you be able to expect when working from home with other people around?

While being able to work remotely has many benefits, it is important to note its drawbacks as well. One of these is that it is more likely that a remote worker is not going to be doing their job in an environment that is perfectly attuned to delivering on their responsibilities. For every organized employee with a sophisticated home office setup or a convenient coworking space, somebody is doing their best to get their work done with noisy neighbors or needy family members to contend with.

At its worst, it is enough to make a person wish they worked in an office instead. However, those who are blessed with the flexibility to work from home can usually figure something out if they are willing to stand up for their right to work uninterrupted. While it is important to balance your job with other aspects of life, those around you should be able to respect your need to do your work in peace. If they can't, it may get to a point where you cannot share your working environment or your home with them.

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  • A woman drinks from a mug while working on her laptop at home
    via Hans (Unsplash+)

    A woman drinks from a mug while working on her laptop at home

  • A woman was living with her parents while also working a remote job, and she found that they were giving her a hard time while she was working. They had a tendency to interrupt her when she was doing work that she needed her full concentration for, despite her request that she be left alone at certain times during the work day.

    Even when she confined herself to her room, she felt like there would be no guarantee that her parents would respect her space while she was trying to work. She wasn't sure if she was overreacting to their unwanted intrusions.

  • Am I wrong for expecting total privacy while working remote?

    I (23f) live at home with my parents (60 Im and f) and work from home. My hours are 8:30 to 5:30 and I generally work in my room. I do sit in the house common areas sometimes. My work has random calls that I must take so I can't communicate blocked times to enter my room. Because of this I have communicated with my mom several
    via ncvkitty11
  • time to not enter my room during my work hours as I may be on a call and to also not yell out for me during work hours for the same reason. For some reason she cannot do this. When she wakes up after 8:30 she will still come in my room and open the door to say good morning or knock and call my name.
    via ncvkitty11
  • An older woman holds on to the kitchen counter as she crouches in front of the dishwasher
    via Marc Pell

    An older woman holds on to the kitchen counter as she crouches in front of the dishwasher

  • I had also attempted to switch to working in the basement (bought a desk and all) thinking the separation would be clear but she will still open the basement door and yell down the stairs for me and also interrupted my work day once to bring the plumber into the basement. That time I was actually on a call and had to hush my client and run up to my room so that we could continue the meeting.
    via ncvkitty11
  • I have since mostly moved back to my room because my dad also briefly decided that he wanted to start working out again in the basements other room (there are no doors in the basement and the rooms are connected) once again during work hours.
    via ncvkitty11
  • I am honestly out of energy to speak to them about this again and am wondering if I am just being too touchy and they are not being that bad. I am heavily considered purchasing a coworking space membership but don't want to make an unnecessary purchase. AITA for being ped at my parents and expecting to be left completely alone during work hours?
    via ncvkitty11
  • A close-up of a woman drinking from a mug while working on her laptop
    via Hans (Unsplash+)

    A close-up of a woman drinking from a mug while working on her laptop

  • Stoptheworldletmeoff Time to move out
    via Stoptheworldletmeoff
  • Pyjama365 Tell them plainly: "I am going to get fired if I keep being interrupted at work. Are you interrupting me because you want me to get fired, or because you want me to move out? Because if you want me to move
    via Pyjama365
  • out, please just say that, and know that it will be much hard r for me to afford it I have been fired."
    via Pyjama365
  • MeringueSuccessful74 ur mom really said "no" to a simple boundary and now you're the unreasonable one, classic parent move honestly
    via MeringueSuccessful74
  • reikobun I work remote and my husband would not interrupt me in my closed office unless the actual house was on fire. Gently, do they just not understand the work from home environment? I also work
    via reikobun
  • nightshift and realized many don't understand. Are they like this with you in other areas, because it would leave me feeling unwelcomed.
    via reikobun
  • Thoselmpulses Next time she does this go out the door with a worried look on your face and say "Are you OK? We've already had discussions about you not interrupting me while I work, don't you remember?"
    via ThoseImpulses
  • Llayanna NTA but seeing as your parents don't respect you.. is it possible to move out? I think distance would solve this problem better, specially with your mother also yelling at you.
    via Llayanna
  • Toiletjuffrouw My parents are the same. Seems like a boomer thing: thinking WFH is not really working. She would randomly call or stop by for chatting and coffee and fun until I got more harsh every next time, stating I'm working. For you you'll at the very least need to move out.
    via Toiletjuffrouw
  • esmerelofchaos NTA, but it's definitely time to have a serious boundary discussion, find a different location to work from, or get your own place.
    via esmerelofchaos
  • roseifyoudidntknow Check location libraries and colleges. They may have private spaces for cheap or free you could use.
    via roseifyoudidntknow

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