Working Together As A Couple: A Good Or Bad Idea?

"My wife? She's also my boss." "I started a business with my boyfriend!"

Whether she's your boss, or sitting three feet away from you in the office, you can’t escape each other. If this is your case, you've probably noticed, there are (very) good and (very) bad sides to working with your partner. Seeing your partner often is practical and means you get to support each other properly. Though sometimes too much contact can be excessive. We’re here to give you the tips to keep your relationship going despite your professional engagements.

Some couples manage to work together and survive. We know that seeing each other, both at home and at work, can create tension, so we'd like to know their secret! Focusing on the advantages and putting your heart into finding solutions to your issues means you are ready for anything! So, if you can't stand your other half at work, but don't want to split up, this article is for you!

Look on the bright side about working with your spouse

Focusing on the positive is the number one rule for appreciating what you have! If you had any doubts, there are many advantages to working in the same place as your loved one. Discover the advantages here:  

• It creates common ground:

When you work in the same environment, you have even more to share: interests, tips for success as well as criticism of that coworker you can't stand...

• You spend quality time together:

Having your spouse near you is practical. Same schedule, same lifestyle! It's still better to have a family life. A thought for those couples who see each other when one makes coffee while the other goes to bed.

>>> Discover the most common reasons for divorce

• You know who you can count on:

Working with your partner, you're sure to appreciate at least one person at the office. Your other half will be your ally, and your ray of sunshine if the current with your coworkers doesn't flow!

• Telepathic communication:

No more unspoken words and misunderstandings! You won't waste time trying to figure out where they is going since you know them by heart.  

• You share the same tiredness:

Or at least we understand it. In the evening when you come home, your partner can appreciate how tired you are because they’ve seen! No one will hold you responsible for the stress that can overwhelm you.

•  You can spend your vacations together:

Working as a couple is the best way to have the same vacations! If the company closes, it's at the same time, if not, the answer for holiday dates falls at the same time: it's all the same! (Unless one of you two is indispensable...)

>>> Learn about how to break up maturely in this article

Working with your spouse: How to avoid tension

No matter how positive you are, there will always be a moment when your better half will get under your skin. The good news is that for every problem there is a solution (well, Einstein said that). Check out our 4 tips for handling relationship tensions at work:

1. Take time for ourselves:

When you get off work, or on the weekend, you'll need a moment to yourself just to survive. Instead of seeing your spouse 8 hours a day, you spend almost 24 hours glued together tightly! They may be adorable, but everyone needs oxygen. A jog or a coffee with friends will prevent you from feeling suffocated.

2. What happens at work stays at work:

This is probably the most difficult task for couples working together. The office serves as an outlet if there is tension at home, but it’s complicated when your homelife follows you. Don't blame your partner for not emptying the dishwasher in front of the coffee machine, and don't give them a hard time when they turn things in late. Not airing your dirty laundry in public will help protect your relationship.

3. No favoritism!

If you want to create tension between other employees, nothing is more effective than preferential treatment. Don't go to extremes by ignoring your spouse, or by being too harsh, but don't differentiate between them from the others.

4. Don’t neglect your relationship:

It would be a shame if work became your only common ground. A job is easily replaced, your partner a little less! So, imagine how nice it would be to spend an evening a week as lovers with no mention of business!