You Value Both Family and Work, But Can’t Balance Them#
Since remote work started, your household has changed.
9 AM, web meeting time. But children are still home and want to play. Your partner starts vacuuming. You quietly shout “I’m in a meeting!” and press earphones into your ears.
Afternoon, you want to concentrate on creating documents. But family talks to you. “Hey, look at this,” “What do you want for dinner?” You harden your expression and push them away with “Later.”
Evening, work finally ends and it’s family time. But you’re exhausted and have no capacity to face family.
This cycle repeats daily, and family relationships are gradually straining.
According to survey data, people bothered by sounds during telework cite “family talking,” “children’s voices,” and “cohabitating family’s telework sounds,” with approximately 20% each. It’s not just you. Many households have the same concerns.
This article proposes soundproofing solutions that fundamentally resolve sound troubles with family during remote work and realize harmonious home life and work coexistence.
The ‘Endurance’ That Remote Work Forces on Family#
For Children, ‘Home’ Has Changed#
For children, home was a “place to play freely.”
Running around, shouting, laughing, crying, making noise with friends. That’s children’s natural state. However, since you started remote work, children have been repeatedly told “be quiet.”
“Dad (Mom) is working”
“Be quiet now”
“Use a smaller voice”
Children try to understand. However, being told “be quiet” all day, every day, for months, is significant stress for children. Their own home, yet they can’t be free. This definitely affects children’s hearts.
Partners Also ‘Forced to Hold Back’#
Partners are the same.
Vacuum and they’re told “you’re noisy,” cook and they worry about pot and pan sounds, talk on the phone and they’re warned “your voice is loud.” In their own home, they feel as uncomfortable as if in “someone else’s home.”
And they even hesitate to talk to you. “They look busy now,” “Maybe later…” Communication decreases and distance is created.
If this situation continues, partners will feel “I’m not welcome.”
You Yourself Are Suffering from ‘Guilt’#
And perhaps suffering most is you yourself.
Guilt from forcing family to endure. Anxiety about hindering children’s growth. Fear of relationships with partners cooling.
Work is important, family is important. But you can’t value both simultaneously. This state of being caught between gives you strong stress.
‘Creating Private Rooms’ Saves Family Relationships#
Physical Boundaries Generate Psychological Security#
What’s important here is creating physical boundaries.
The fundamental problem of remote work is “work space” and “living space” being mixed. Working in the living room, meetings in the dining room, creating documents in the bedroom. This ambiguity is the root of all problems.
What if you had a “completely independent work room”?
Inside that room, you can completely concentrate on work. Outside sounds aren’t heard, you can focus on meetings, immerse yourself in document creation.
And outside that room, family can live freely. Children play, partners do housework, and no one needs to hold back.
This “physical boundary” brings “psychological security” to all family members.
Data Shows the Need for ‘Private Rooms’#
Japanese condominium surveys reveal that about 60% of teleworkers desire a private room of about 4.5 tatami.
This is a wish beyond simply “wanting a quiet place.” It’s an expression of desperate feelings: “want to separate work and life,” “don’t want to make family endure,” “want both myself and family to be free.”
4.5 tatami is space with a desk, chair, bookshelf, and a bit of margin. In other words, “minimum size for comfortable work.”
The ‘Side Effect’ That Creating Private Rooms Gives to Family#
The greatest value of creating private rooms is actually not the soundproofing effect itself. It’s the “side effect” of restoring family relationships.
If you work in a private room, you no longer need to tell family “be quiet.” You’re freed from guilt, family regains freedom, and you don’t need to hold back from each other.
And when work ends and you exit the private room, you can switch 100% to family mode. Not a half-hearted state of “still thinking about work” or “need to check email,” but able to fully face family.
This “on/off switching” dramatically improves family relationships.
Budget-Based Private Room Creation and Soundproofing Solutions#
[Budget Under ¥100,000] Creating Visual Boundaries#
First, as a low-budget measure to try today, there are partitions.
Using commercially available partitions or tension-pole room dividers to partition a corner of the living room as a “work space.”
Effects:
- Can visually signal “now is work time” to family
- Family movements no longer enter field of vision, easier to concentrate
Limitations:
- Almost zero sound blocking effect
- Only about “emotional boundary”
Cost estimate: ¥10,000-¥50,000 (~$70-$350 USD)
This measure isn’t genuine soundproofing, but by creating a “visual boundary with family,” you can share recognition of “now is work time” or “now is life time” with each other.
[Budget ¥300,000-¥500,000] Simple Soundproofing of Existing Private Rooms#
If you have an unused room at home (study, children’s room, Japanese-style room, etc.), there’s a method to simply soundproof that room.
Door Gap Measures
Apply gap tape to door bottoms and frames to seal sound entry routes.
Cost estimate: ¥2,000-¥5,000 (~$14-$35 USD)
Effect: Sound insulation improvement of about 5-10dB
Inner Window Installation on Windows
Install another window inside the existing window. Blocks external noise and makes indoor sounds less likely to leak out.
Cost estimate: ¥50,000-¥150,000 (~$350-$1,000 USD) per window
Effect: Sound insulation improvement of about 10-15dB
Soundproof Curtains
Slightly reduces sound leakage from windows.
Cost estimate: ¥5,000-¥15,000 (~$35-$100 USD)
Effect: Sound insulation improvement of about 5dB
Carpet on Floor
Absorbs foot and chair sounds.
Cost estimate: ¥10,000-¥30,000 (~$70-$200 USD)
Combining these can transform an existing private room into a “reasonably quiet work room.” However, complete sound insulation is difficult and loud living sounds are still audible.
[Budget Around ¥1,000,000] Unit-Type Soundproof Rooms#
To fundamentally solve sound troubles with family, unit-type soundproof rooms are most reliable.
A unit-type soundproof room is a “box-shaped soundproof space” installed inside an existing room. It has the following features:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Sound Insulation Performance | Dr-30 to Dr-35 (conversation barely audible) |
| Installation | No construction required, installable even in Japanese rentals |
| Relocation | Can be disassembled and transported when relocating |
| Ventilation | Comfortable with dedicated ventilation system |
| Power | Equipped with lighting and outlets |
Size and Price Range
| Size | Use | Price Range | Desk Width |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.8 tatami | Web meetings only | From ¥770,000 (~$5,300 USD) | 100cm wide |
| 1.2 tatami | Desk + small storage | From ¥900,000 (~$6,200 USD) | 120cm wide |
| 1.5 tatami | Spacious work area | From ¥1,000,000 (~$6,900 USD) | 120cm wide |
| 2.0 tatami | Desk + bookshelf + margin | From ¥1,300,000 (~$9,000 USD) | 140cm wide |
With Dr-30 sound insulation performance, family’s outside living sounds are almost inaudible. Even if children are playing or your partner is vacuuming, it doesn’t affect your work at all.
And your meeting voices don’t leak outside. In other words, you can both live without worrying about each other.
[Rent +20-30% Increase] Moving to Soundproof Rental Condominium#
Another option is moving to a soundproof rental condominium.
Soundproof rentals have entire buildings designed with high sound insulation performance (Dr-60 to Dr-70), and sounds from adjacent units or upper/lower floors are almost inaudible.
Merits:
- All family members can live without worrying about sounds
- QOL (Quality of Life) significantly improves
- Living room, bedroom, all rooms are quiet
Demerits:
- Rent is 20-30% higher than market rate
- Extremely few properties (about 0.05% of total in Tokyo’s 23 wards)
- Limited locations
Soundproof rental is an ideal solution, but whether properties can be found depends on luck.
Unit-Type Soundproof Rooms vs Soundproof Rentals: Thorough Comparison#
So which is suitable for you, unit-type soundproof rooms or soundproof rental?
Cost Comparison (5-Year Estimate)#
Unit-Type Soundproof Room (1.5 tatami, ¥1,000,000)
- Initial cost: ¥1,000,000
- Monthly cost: ¥0
- 5-year total cost: ¥1,000,000
- Per month: About ¥16,700 (~$115 USD)
Soundproof Rental (Rent ¥150,000, ¥30,000 above market rate)
- Initial cost: ¥600,000 (security/key money)
- Monthly increase: ¥30,000
- 5-year total cost: ¥2,400,000
- Per month: ¥40,000 (increase only)
Comparing over 5 years, unit-type soundproof rooms have better cost-performance.
Function Comparison#
| Comparison Item | Unit-Type Soundproof Room | Soundproof Rental |
|---|---|---|
| Soundproofing Range | Inside room only (0.8-2 tatami) | Entire home |
| Family QOL | Outside room is normal home | Entire home is comfortable |
| Implementation Speed | Several days to 1 week | Can move in if property found |
| Property Search Difficulty | Unnecessary (install in current home) | Very high (0.05% rarity) |
| When Relocating | Can disassemble and transport | Must search for property again |
| Installation in Rentals | Possible (restoration to original condition) | Depends on property |
Which Should You Choose?#
Unit-Type Soundproof Room Recommended For:
- Satisfied with current living environment
- Plans to relocate (can move with soundproof room)
- Want own work space
- Want to definitely implement
Soundproof Rental Recommended For:
- Want to improve entire family’s QOL
- Considering relocation
- Properties available in desired area
- Budget capacity available
In most cases, first searching for soundproof rental, and if not found, introducing unit-type soundproof room is a realistic sequence.
Return on Investment: The Cost of Protecting Family Happiness#
Is ¥1,000,000 ‘Expensive’?#
The price of a unit-type soundproof room is around ¥1,000,000 for 1.5 tatami. It may seem expensive.
However, let’s consider this as an “investment.”
When using for 5 years:
- Per month: About ¥16,700 (~$115 USD)
- Per day: About ¥550 (~$3.80 USD)
- Per hour (8 hours/day): About ¥70 (~$0.48 USD)
In other words, for just ¥70 per hour, you can obtain harmonious family relationships and work concentration.
Whether you consider this “expensive” or “cheap” is up to you.
The Value of Family Relationships Cannot Be Measured#
And most importantly, the value of family relationships cannot be measured in money.
What soundproof rooms bring is not just “quiet space.” It’s:
- A home where children can play freely
- A home where partners can live without worry
- An environment where you can concentrate on work without guilt
- Relationships where all family members can “respect each other”
Aren’t these among the most precious things in your life?
Summary: Realizing Harmonious Home and Work Coexistence#
Sound troubles with family in remote work, if left as is, will definitely deteriorate family relationships. Children feel cramped, partners are forced to hold back, and you suffer from guilt.
The key to solving this problem is creating physical boundaries.
Solutions by budget are summarized:
- Budget under ¥100,000: Create visual boundaries with partitions
- Budget ¥300,000-¥500,000: Simple soundproofing of existing private rooms
- Budget around ¥1,000,000: Unit-type soundproof room (most reliable)
- Rent +20-30% increase: Move to soundproof rental (ideal but few properties)
Investment in soundproofing is not a “luxury.” It’s “necessary investment” to protect harmonious family relationships, your work quality, and entire family’s mental well-being.
First, try searching for soundproof rental properties in your living area. Searching “soundproof rental [ward name]” will find specialized sites.
If properties aren’t found, try experiencing a soundproof room at a nearby music store. At Yamaha and Kawai showrooms, you can enter actual soundproof rooms and experience the silence.
In that silence, you should be able to imagine “a future where you can balance family and work.” And that future begins with your decision.