it's already been said- But the first general rule of concealed carry? If you're gonna carry, ALWAYS carry.
I live in the "country" if someone pulls in my drive- I hear it.
That said... if I get up from the chair in my underwear, I've got my holstered weapon in hand.
I'm cooking dinner? it's on the counter next to me.
I'm in the bathtub? It's right next to the tub on the toilet lid.
In bed sleeping? on the headboard in reach.
My wife asked me lately "what I was so paranoid about?"
A few years back, before we moved here- Almost every home on my rural road was broken into.
My neighbors four houses down were home at the time it happened.
I replied to the wife's question that I was not paranoid. I showed her several videos of home intrusions caught on tape.
Showed her videos of people answering knocks on doors, where they were kicked in and invaded.
I then had her time the seconds it took to gain entry.
And then, again, had her time how long it took me to run to my recliner and retrieve my gun from the end table and react.
She no longer thinks I'm paranoid.
The entire purpose of a carried firearm is defense.
Period.
Carrying openly with the idea of... "warning off" an intrusion is a very flawed idea in my opinion.
It gives a false sense of ability? to me.
Spend some time with drawing practice. Especially using a cleared, empty weapon for awhile.
Don't count on an impression or an idea. Don't guess what someone else is thinking.
Depend on the knowledge of your abilities with it. In your practice with it.
I carry in my underwear at home watching TV on a Monday night... But I know what I can do with my gun, and I can only do it- if I have my gun!