To be totally over being talked at...

[Bumblebee907]

I have a houseguest, my sister in fact, and for various reasons they are staying for a few weeks. They've been here for three days and oh my goodness.

I work from home and Everytime I sneeze, move, leave the room they are on me to chat, deep conversations, not throw away small talk, sience, politics, it just lands.

I literally can't do anything. My work is really intense and I feel like I can't breathe. They are depressed, overthink and so I can't just snap because I'd have to deal with the aftermath and I don't have the strength.

Does anyone have any advice on how to assert boundaries without causing a fight.

Ugh. So tired.

They seem to need me to be around, because they don't want to be by themselves, but I have a life. Which I need to try and continue, I feel like I'm having to justify my every action, I can't even leave the house briefly.

Any advice appreciated ❤️

And so it continues...

That sounds so tough. Could you maybe arrange a time to have a coffee break and stop and chat for 10 mins and plan to have lunch with her and say something like, oh I best get on as I'm behind and I'll have to work at the weekend if I don't finish this task or something. See if she gets the hint.

Ask her to get out of the house during your workhours or stay at the guestroom.
She needs to leave you alone.

Can you get some headphones? It would give a visual indication not to talk to you. You can tell her it's for work.

You have my sympathies! About to post about my guests. Dealing with similar. I've found closing the door, headphones, going to other part of house, and marked "breaks" from work helpful, but increasingly looks like I will have to be upfront & suggest a Premier Inn. It's too much and I'm not the sort of person who likes sharing their space.

Tell her you need to decompress during workday breaks, and don’t want to talk till you’re done with your working day.

This is all great advice thank you so much ❤️

I'd wear headphones. Perhaps tell her you're listening to "work based stuff" but can chat at x time and have lunch with her? This feels fairly polite and fair as much as possible