I am pleased to bring you today’s guest post by Katie Horner from Como Blog. I think you will enjoy this post and the ideas she has to share.
Many of us decided to work from home so that we could have more time for and with the people we love. For many couples however, the added stress of working from home or having working stresses in the home can take a damaging toll on their marriage. If working from home is a dream of yours, here are some guidelines to staying happily married while you do it.
1. Define Your Roles and Your Goals
Communication is just as important in business as in marriage. When you work from home your spouse becomes a business partner whether or not they are active in the actual work responsibilities. You can’t just leave work at the office anymore, so you must communicate to make it work.
Clearly define your goals to the point that you both know what success looks like and what it will take to get there. When things get tough you will need to remember your why. And then define your roles. Who will do what to accomplish your work from home goals? When goals, expectations and responsibilities are clearly laid out from the beginning, major mis-communications and disagreements can be avoided.
2. Designate a Time and Place for Work
Scheduling your time is extremely important both to the success of your business and to your marriage. Each season’s schedule may look different, but you must find a schedule and stick to it. Likewise, create a “work space”. A specific location where you can block out distractions and get work done at the scheduled time. Maybe you work in the morning, and he is on kid duty and you switch in the afternoon. When work time is over, walk away and leave the work there to be fully present during your “home hours”. Though you work from home, your marriage will be healthier if you separate work time from home time, and your productivity will increase with a distraction free work space as well.
3. Discuss and Agree on Every Big Decision
Just as the initial goal setting is important to do together, you must periodically discuss the other decisions that come up to remain on the same page. Decide ahead of time what to do if you disagree? Do you let it rest for a few days, weeks? Do you say no to the opportunity until you can both agree? What will you or will you not do in business? What will you or will you not spend money on? Laying the guidelines for the direction you are taking and how you will evaluate opportunities in regards to how they help you reach your goals will keep the communication open and positive.
4. Date on Purpose and Make it a Priority
When you work from home, and particularly if both you and your spouse are working from home together, it may seem like you don’t need to date, because you are always together. Trust me, you need to make your relationship apart from work a priority. Make the time to regularly get out of the house together and do something that you both enjoy. Prioritize it. Put it on the calendar, and follow through. Don’t just talk about work, but about each other, your likes/dislikes, hopes and dreams. Be romantic and leave the business for business hours.
Too many modern day work from home marriages are ending badly. Yours does not have to be part of that statistic. Following these 4 rules will help you stay happily married while creating a successful work from home business.
Katie Hornor is a happily married work at home professional and founder of Como Blog, a bilingual education site for bloggers and online business owners, and the new Como Blog Connection, where you will find resources, connections and mentoring to spur you on to reach your business dreams. Get info about The Connection and download the Free ebook 50 Powerful Tips for Successful Business Habits at Como Blog.
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