#WorkLoveBalance Find The Balance Between Your Career and Love Life!

It can be difficult to find the balance between your career and love life when you and your partner both have careers set out for yourselves. These days, especially with how jobs have progressed and evolved, it can be difficult to find quality time to spend together. Here are several ways to find success in your relationship as a couple while still pursuing the career of your dreams.

SETTING BOUNDARIES

This where most couples tend to have a problem, they don’t know how to set boundaries between their partner and work. Most of us today because of the pandemic are working from home, we will tend to think about work even after office hours, we now associate our homes with our office today as we work at home. It is due time to set a clear boundary on when you will stop thinking about work. 

Stop looking at your phone after office hours, for those who are required to report at the office, leave the office when it is time to leave. Make rules about these and talk about it with your partner and both agree on the set rules for both of you to follow when at home.

Career-oriented couples will often enjoy working but setting clear boundaries will also allow you to enjoy each other better and keep the flame alive.

TALK ABOUT YOUR FINANCES

The most common problems that couples face will revolve around money. So, as early as now even when you are not married yet, talk about it while things are still good. 

Talk about whether each of you is willing to support one another if one loses their job or if they want a new career direction. Talk about your savings, will you be willing to dig into the bank for certain occasions? When you get a promotion, how will it affect both of your lifestyles? 

Talk about how you will allocate money at home, at work and in other parts of each other’s lives. This will be a big help for you to find that Zen between love and career and help make it more stable.

MAKING TIME FOR EACH OTHER

Whether it’s making that 7pm dinner date or a 9pm movie date, it’s important that you create a regular time to spend with each other.

Never lose track of your scheduled dinner date with your partner even if there are a lot of things on the plate at work, remember the first thing that we talked about, set your boundaries, when it’s time to go home, you have to go home and make that dinner date. Create a regular schedule on when to have your dinner dates and quality time together.

Making time for each other even with your busy schedules, carve out the time if you have to and fit it in your busy calendars.

DON’T GO TO BED ANGRY

A very old saying that still remains true and meaningful for the success of your relationship and career until this day. 

Although it’s easier said than done, you must find a way to talk about your issues before going to bed. Calm down, communicate with each other, don’t let your pride speak for itself, be forgiving and be willing to talk about the problem before you go to bed. 

If you let your head hit the pillow while you and your partner are angry, you might lose sleep and ultimately affect your productivity for the next day at work. So, work out your problems and issues before you hit the sheets for the greater good of both of your careers and relationship.

BALANCE YOUR SACRIFICES

If one or both of you are targeting high-profile careers, sacrifices will have to be made by one or the other for the good of each of your careers.

Whether it’s going into overtime this Friday for a rush project deadline resulting in you missing that dinner with your partner’s family, or whether it’s the other way around, you will have to make some sacrifices for the benefit of one another’s careers. 

Don’t make it too often though, finish that project deadline without having to go overtime, make your priorities clear and set the hierarchy of tasks in order for you to take into account what can be sacrificed and what can not be. 

Weight all the options and be both willing to sacrifice for each other in hopes of taking that next step in one’s career, acknowledge each other’s sacrifices and continue to appreciate each other for your sacrifices.

SHOW UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT

It can be difficult to show interest in your partner’s career after a long day of work but it’s important that you keep an open ear and always be attentive in conversations pertaining to each of your careers.

When you get home and your partner starts talking about his huge success at work, or if your partner is having a bad day at work, always have the time to listen and keep your ears open, show that you support them for their decisions at work but also advise your input if needed be.

Be mindful that if you don’t show such support for each other, it can lead to misunderstandings and resentment. Your partner might feel that they’re alone in this battle and might choose to stay quiet in the future. Always remember that communication is important, so as much as possible be willing to listen and support each other unconditionally.

LOVE THE PERSON, NOT THEIR TITLE

For the health of your relationship, make sure that you have fallen in love with the person and not their job title or position.

In our World today, compatibility is not based on whether or not the other person can take care of you, instead we live in a world where each of us can take care of each other. Contemplate if you have fallen in love with the person, be reminded of the traits that you loved from day one. 

Think deep and hard, without all of the money and luxuries, would you still want your partner around? If yes, then you fell in love with the person, if not, better decide now whether you want to keep your partner around or not.

MAKE DECISIONS TOGETHER

Yes, you can make a decision on your own but keep in mind that you now have a partner to help you in making that decision.

Whether it's taking that pay raise, leaving your job, or an office relocation consult your partner first. You are no longer living an independent life and free at making your own decisions. Your decisions now affect each other and you have to recognize that your partner has an equal say regarding your decisions.

Be prepared to face the consequences of the actions of one another as both of your decisions will not only impact yourselves, but your partner at the same time. Always be mindful that each of your decisions now should be carefully thought of taking into account the effects that it will have on each of you as a couple.

SHARE HOUSEHOLD DUTIES

No one wants to come home to a sink full of dirty dishes, right? Doing household chores is often a pet peeve for couples that escalates into arguments.

Assign each other household chores that each of you should have to do religiously. Who washes the dishes? Who washes the clothes? Who prepares the food? Who would have to go and do groceries? Who would have to take out the trash?

Communicate with each other on how you will divide the daily household chores with one another and be religious in fulfilling those chores but be also willing to take that sponge off of your partner’s hands when they’re having a tough time at work. Show your appreciation for each other when doing household chores and thank each other for doing the chores when you need a break.

That’s it! Those are the things to keep in mind to help you find that balance between your love life and your career. Keep in mind that a successful relationship is often the first step towards a successful and budding career, like the old saying “Behind every successful man, there is a woman” but today, this goes both ways, we can also now be saying “Behind every successful woman, there is a man” it goes both ways. 

Cheers!