Due to the pandemic, more people are working from home, which is true for many industries. However, when it comes to partners working from home together, it can create some friction.
Just imagine being in the same house with the same person 24/7. It can be a lot. However, many simply don't have a choice but to work together at home, so you need ways to keep the peace. We want to discuss some of the best ways to work from home with your partner, so the two of you can maintain peace.
Strategies
1. Have a Dedicated Office Space
If you are an online business owner working from home with your partner, one of the best things to do is create a dedicated office space. You can choose whether to have an office with your partner or one separate. It is up to you to know and to figure out how well you two work together in the same space.
If both of you can work quietly without bothering each other, you can share the same space. However, if you tend to get on each other’s nerves, it's probably best to have separate office areas.
When working from home, especially with other people in the house, the general rule of thumb is that you need a dedicated office space where others won’t bother you.
2. Create Break Spaces
Whether you work from home or not, you will always need an occasional break. You can work 10 hours a day, but you need three or four decent breaks during that stretch. So, just like you want to have a dedicated office space, you might also want to create space for breaks.
Have a space where you can relax and just calm down for a few minutes before you have to get back to work. This might mean having a personal break space just for you. After all, if you are working together from home all day, it might be ideal for you to have an area just for you.
Working and living together can be nice, but that said, a bit of privacy is needed every now and then. Both you and your partner should have your own break or relaxation spaces where you can get some privacy. This could depend on whether the two of you want to work in the same home office or in separate offices.
3. Have a Safe Word
If you live and work with someone, you're going to be with them all day, and eventually, you will get on each other's nerves. Something you might want to try is having a safe word that you and your partner can use to tell the other that you need a break.
When your partner says that word, you know that they want to be alone; they don't want to talk to you, and they need some privacy. This is a great way to stop fights from occurring. Sometimes all it takes to prevent a fight from happening is for both people to take some time to cool down.
The simple fact is that spending all day with the same person week after week, month after month, can test the strength of your relationship.
You need to know how to deal with each other to not ruin the relationship and allow you to continue working from home.
4. Take a Co-Op Lunch Break
As we noted, working with your partner from home can be somewhat trying. Our recommendation is to have separate offices, but that said, you may want to be close to your partner. The trick is to maintain your personal relationship while also keeping your business relationship in mind. It's a delicate balance that you have to strike.
If you work in separate offices, schedule lunch breaks to be together. This way, you can both get a break from work while talking to your partner, sharing your feelings, and getting a bit of quality time in. Of course, it’s preferable to keep business and private lives separate, but this is not always possible for people working from home.
Knowing how to strike a balance is the trick, and it could be as easy as working separately but taking breaks together. There are many factors to consider, and a lot of them come down to personal preference. Everybody is different, so it is up to you and your partner to figure out what works best for you.
5. The Importance of a Routine
We don't want to tell you what your daily routine should be. Everybody prefers a slightly different routine. Your partner should figure out a daily routine that works for you, something that the two of you can stick to every day.
Humans are creatures of routine, and we don't like when things change. This is especially important to know when you're an online business owner working from home with your partner because your routine will affect your partner and vice versa.
You need to work around each other’s routines, or even better, your routines should match each other. For example, if you decide to work, play, exercise, and eat together at the same time, you can get some quality and family time in while still allowing for scheduled work time.
We recommend getting a weekly planner to schedule your routines.
6. Schedule Time for Family
People who work from home often forget about their families and will end up spending 8 to 12 hours in their office. This may be great in terms of your business, but your family life will suffer for it.
You always need a daily schedule that allows for a decent amount of family time. Of course, your business is important, but this doesn’t mean that you can neglect your kids, pets, and partner.
Not only does your family need you, but you need them. The fact is that being able to spend time with your family and decompress will benefit your mental health.
We all need support and need our families, so don't forget about them, even if you are working from home in your basement office. If you need a support mechanism, your family are the first people you should turn to.
Your family should always be at or near the top of your to-do list, not only because of them but because family life is the medicine you need to combat your stressful work life.
7. Keep Work and Personal Matter Separate
One of the hardest things you and your partner will face is keeping work and personal matters separate. However, if the two of you work for different people or have your own individual businesses, this should not be a massive problem.
That said, if you work for the same business or own your own business together, this may become an issue because, at some point, your personal life and your work matters are probably going to mix.
How you and your partner can get around this is up to you, but mixing work and pleasure never ends well, mainly when partners are involved and even more so when working together from home.
If you expect to keep peace in your home, you need to keep these things separate. Sometimes it might just be best if you and your partner do not discuss your work with each other at all.
FAQ
Is Working With Your Partner a Good Idea?
This is not an easy question to answer because it depends on the people involved. Some people work well together and really feed off each other, whereas others do not work together well. You need to gauge how compatible the two of you are in a work scenario.
How Can I Work From Home Without Losing My Mind?
It’s always a good idea to get out and get some exercise, take plenty of breaks, schedule things into your day that relax you, and try sharing some of your feelings with your partner.
How to Work Things Out With My Partner?
You need to accept that conflict is normal, give each other space, take care of your own needs, create boundaries, work on your communication, and more.
Conclusion
If you follow the suggestions we have provided, working from home with your partner should not be a problem. One of the best ways to work from home with your partner is to take the first step in determining how well the two of you work together and then go from there. Remember that it may take some time and tweaks to routines, to get the perfect fit, so don't give up on the idea at the first argument. Work on a solution and give it time to really see if working from home suits you and your partner.
