Is work getting in the way of your relationship?
It very well might be! While work is an important of our life – we need the money after all – it should never be allowed to negatively affect the relationship we have with our partners. But thanks to 40-hour working weeks, time out of the house because of the commute to and from work, and the stress that work can play in our lives, our working life can impinge upon our relationships and cause them to suffer.
These problems are compounded if…
– You regularly bring work home with you.
– Spend long hours doing overtime in the office.
– Work on the weekends (as well as the week).
– Your partner is working long hours too or works in shifts that don’t correspond with yours.
Do you relate to what we are saying thus far?
As a flower needs water and attention to thrive, so does your relationship. To ensure your love grows and doesn’t wilt, there needs to be an effort to make time for that other person. If not, there may be divorce issues to consider if work continues to take priority over the relationship, and that is not the ideal at all.
So, what can be done about the issue? There is no easy answer. However, there are a few steps you can take to improve the balance.
Think about the love you have for your partner. Is work more important than them? Assuming the answer is no, let this be the motivating factor in trying to make a change to your attitude to work.
Focus on your productivity at work. Use the ideas here to give you a fighting chance to do what needs to be done at work, thus giving you more time to spend with your partner, instead of having to spend more time working at home.
Say ‘no’ to overtime. The next time your boss asks you to stay late, try and reason with them. And if the overtime is only optional, then remember that your relationship needs to take priority, despite the promise of more pay at the end of the week.
Book time off work. We all need a holiday, as we run the risk of neglecting our health otherwise. And our holiday time is a wonderful way to have quality time with our loved ones, so whether you go away on vacation or simply stay at home enjoying each other’s company, schedule this time on your calendar.
Shut yourself off from work. When you return home in the evening, do what you can to get out of work mode. Turn off your phone so you aren’t tempted to check work emails. Put your work things out of sight, so the thoughts of work don’t play on your mind. And distract yourself with something fun that you are your partner can do together, be that out of the house, or something fun and/or romantic at home.
Rekindle your love. When you have time with your partner, put the effort into rekindling the love you have for each other. So, even if you have been busy in the week, at least the time you have together will be meaningful. Those precious few hours you have with each other might make up for the rest of the time when you can’t be completely present at home.
Is work getting in the way of your relationship? If so, focus on what we have said, and make every effort to improve the balance in your life. Your relationship will grow stronger if you do.
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