Whether you're a stay-at-home mom or you work from home or you live alone, being alone more often than not can cause you to sometimes feel a little less comfortable and safe as you might if you had another adult with you while you're in the home. Working from home and spending a lot of time at my house with my little one with my husband working late hours makes me very aware of my surroundings. My husband can tease me sometimes for being paranoid, that's fine, I have my radar on high alert a lot of the time.
I've compiled a list of safety tips for those who live alone or spend a lot of time at home alone:
Notice Your Neighbors
I don't personally know most of my neighbors currently as Seattle tends to have a "keep to yourself" type of culture, and we rent a place where there isn't a lot of community, but I make a point of noticing who lives nearby and activity trends on my street. Just a general awareness of your neighborhood makes a difference.
Make A Phone Call Agreement
I had a doctor who had his phone ring from his wife during an appointment with me. He let the call go but a little later she called again and he excused himself saying, "We have an agreement that two calls in a row means an emergency so pardon me." Coming up with a similar agreement can help ensure that your husband or room mate knows to call back or answer and that you aren't just calling to ask them which Netflix they want to watch that night.
Be Careful With Social Media Over Share
When you work from home or are a stay-at-home mom where adult interaction might be harder to come by, social media can serve as a great outlet for thoughts and feelings and connecting with others. But be careful not to share too much that might tip others off who don't have the best intentions. Don't announce on Facebook that your husband will be out of town for 2 weeks and you're so sad about it, or that you're going to be allllll alone for the next few days if anyone wants to get together to avoid boredom. I personally need to be better about this and keep my venting on when my husband travels less public. The unfortunate truth is, most burglaries and other attacks and invasions happen between people in the same circles who know each other to some degree.
Take Caution Even If You're Just Leaving For A Moment
Sometimes my baby is being so cranky I just have to get out of the house for 10 minutes and take her on walk around the block and back. Even if you're planning just to get out for a moment, lock your doors behind you. We have a sliding glass door in our backyard that I make sure and close before I leave the house, even though I enjoy the breeze during the day of having it open. Be cautious when bringing in groceries to and from the car through an open garage. Just be aware of leaving doors unlocked and open. If someone living nearby can see that you use the garage opener in your car to open your garage and enter your home through the open garage, you better make sure you never leave the car unlocked and leave access to that garage door opener.
Find A Nearby Friend
Make friends with someone you trust who lives nearby that you can call if you're feeling unsafe and want to go to their house for awhile or someone you can call if you're worried about something. Hopefully this is someone you can call if you get locked out of your house for example while you wait for professional help to come. If they're a good friend you may wish to have them come stay with you while your room mate or spouse is out of town or working late.
Be Careful With Your Smart Phone
You may have already seen this making the rounds on Facebook, but it's honestly quite startling to realize just how easy it can be for an unwelcome person to find out you or your child's exact location or most common hangout spots based on the pictures you post online. I recommend viewing this video and checking your smartphone GPS settings accordingly!
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