Work commitments can sometimes put a strain on our personal relationships. If you feel that you’re not getting to spend enough time with your partner because of work, it could be important that you find a solution that provides you with a better work/life balance. Below are some tips for making sure that your work isn’t negatively affecting your relationship.
Getting the work/life balance right
First, you need to consider whether you’re working too much. 40 to 50 hours per week is considered the healthy limit for most people. If you’re working well beyond this, consider whether it’s time to cut down your hours.
You also need to consider whether you’re working unsociable hours or working shifts that make it impossible to see each other.
Relationship problems can occur if you’re both working different hours and barely ever get to spend quality time together.
Try to schedule some time together – this may involve having to talk to your employer if you’re currently given random shifts.
Working from home on some days (if you have the choice) could allow you to spend more time with a partner in some cases.
Just be sure that there is enough division between your work life and personal life. It could be worth having a separate work phone that you can turn off during hours when you’re not working.
You could also consider outsourcing a mailing address at www.physicaladdress.com to prevent you from opening work mail on days off. Encouraging strict work cutoff times could also be helpful for creating a clear divide.
Knowing when to put relationship commitments first
There are times when your relationship needs to come before your work. Make sure to schedule time off for special events in advance.
There may be times when work events clash with personal events. When this happens, you need to weigh up the importance of both – is an anniversary meal worth canceling for an important business meeting? If you can rearrange the business meeting, then no it isn’t.
Try to not be constantly guilt-tripped by colleagues into working overtime or taking on extra time-consuming projects. Sometimes it’s OK to say no. Don’t be afraid to also delegate work if you need to make an important call or take time off if a partner is ill and needs caring for you.
Knowing when a partner is being unreasonable
You should be careful of partners that demand too much of your attention to the point that it becomes unreasonable.
Jealousy or paranoia may form if one partner is spending a lot of time away from home and the other partner isn’t. Make sure that a partner isn’t asking you to give up work because of their insecurities.
If you’re working very long hours or working unsociable hours, then a partner has a right to complain about this.
However, if this isn’t really the case and a partner is still asking you to give up work for them, you should think twice before making any sacrifices – especially if they’re asking you to give up a job you enjoy.
