Once upon a time, the work-family configuration was comprised of separate spheres – work took place out of the home.  At the end of the workday, the stresses of work were essentially over, and home was a private retreat reserved for family.

Now, with the Covid 19 isolation, and modern technology allowing couples to telecommute, the line between work life and personal life is fuzzy at best.

Telecommuting couples are never without their smartphones, their home offices are down the hall from their bedrooms, and with their handheld devices they are always available 24/7 to answer an email, respond to a text or take a call.

Not surprisingly, studies have shown that people who telecommute end up working longer hours than they did when working in their offices.

Strategy

While under one roof, how can you ensure that work doesn’t consume you at the expense of your relationship?

You must set goals and priorities for your personal relationships like you do for your work:

1. Communicate, communicate, communicate.  The secret to any healthy relationship is communication. Express your needs.
2. Acknowledge the importance of alone time.  With the Coronavirus, couples are spending all their time under the same roof and need to share the space peacefully.
3. Discuss your fears and be attentive to your partner’s concerns. One person may be much more preoccupied with the crisis than the other.
4. Make time for each other. Schedule breaks during the day.
5. Establish boundaries and expectations.  Who is going to be in which room and when? How will you know when to not disrupt each other?
6. Make sure to make 5 positive comments or gestures for every negative interaction.
7. Express affection, appreciation and empathy.

Conclusions

You would never approach your work responsibilities without objectives and priorities.

Why, then, do you think you will be successful in your relationship without setting them?

A strong couple makes a plan, implements it step by step, and revises it as needed so that the vision for the relationship is realized.

Stay safe and healthy.
Deb

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