How many times?? It is a question to self. There are some simple things and it starts from home. I remember when I was a kid I was told doing certain things can create problems for others. I grew up in a family that didnt want to see a problem created because of their son. I still feel my mom is speaking to me when I’m in such situations. Whereas there are some people who may or may not have gone through the same similar situation in life.

There are some basic things which can go a long way. There is no hard and fast rule that things have to be in place exactly the same. Let’s say you stay in a apartment. How do you make sure others in your apartment are also comfortable? There are few things that can lead to a difference of opinion and we need to remember everyone has their own space. However it’s good to make some changes if that helps others. Most of the apartments have a quiet time and it’s written on the lease document. I’m not sure if people give importance to that while signing the lease. Why is their a quiet time? I pay the rent so why should I be worried about someone? If we have to question then there will be more questions and no real answers. It is important to understand that there are folks around who sleep early and there may be folks who get disturbed if there is a slight noise while asleep. It is then really tough to sleep once you are awake. I’m one of those people who will get disturbed and the whole day will be tiring if I don’t get enough sleep. What can be done such that others are not disturbed? Well, you know your space better than anyone else and small changes can make a huge difference. For example, you go out of the room or go out of the house. You can make sure you don’t bang the door in the middle of the night. You can hold the knob and release while closing the door . This maybe a small thing but can bring a lot of difference. Secondly, listening to music or watching TV in the night.I know some folks like to hear loud music regardless of time. I think it’s in their blood. However, this is something that can be controlled by making sure it’s not loud or would cause problems for others. It’s def not a good idea to play music or watch TV with a high volume at midnight! there are several other things that can be adjusted and it may not be possible to go over all of them. The most famous one is the hot water and using the flush. The moment you turn on hot water, the geyser starts to function and it throws a huge noise. This can be minimized to some extent if the hot water usage at nights is limited. If you have to use that, turn the Tap and not turn it on at full force. Everything we do can cause problems. The way we walk, the cooking styles and the talks. Some folks like to talk and talk but they should realize that their voice will not create a problem for others.

It’s really not possible to police or advice on such things and we should pick up such stuff automatically. It’s not difficult but it’s a work in progress.

Thanks for your time and hope you can make small changes.

-Tom