Top tips on working from home with your spouse

FOLLOWING on from our recent article on missing your ‘work spouse’ during lockdown, here are some carefully crafted tips on how to work from home – with your real life partner.

The struggle is real – for those still working from home.

ALSO READ: Are you missing your ‘work spouse’ during lockdown?

Finding yourself under the same roof as your spouse 24/7 may prove challenging.

From effective communication to going on a lockdown date, these six tips from PR Pioneer should help anyone in this position.

Communication is key
Take some time in the morning, before the working day starts, to talk about what both of you have ahead of you.
Offering to help them in any way possible could help ease the situation.
Being a supportive partner doesn’t have to stop just because you are now sharing an office.

Do not disturb
Find a space in the house that is designated to ‘total focus’.
It can be frustrating facing distractions when you are working on a particular task and having a space that lets your partner know you are not free to chat right away can be very useful to maintaining harmony.

They are not your colleague
Remember that while it can be easy to turn to your spouse for brainstorming sessions or to discuss the awkward meeting you just had, they are not your colleague.
It can become too much if you rely on your partner for everything in the house – remember, you still have to share the domestic responsibilities, too, at the end of the working day.

Avoid areas of the home
Try and avoid working from areas such as the bedroom – it is important to separate your work and home life as much as possible.

Go on an après work (lockdown) date
It is important to remember that the working day has come to an end, and creating little dates for the end of the day together can help keep the love vs work balance.
Gestures throughout the day are also welcome treats – bringing a coffee to your partner in their favourite mug before they ask, wouldn’t go amiss.

Be mindful of noise
Have a discussion with your partner about what level of noise is suitable to work in, and be mindful if your other half is on a call.
It’s less than desirable to have the rest of the people on your meeting hear your partner doing the dishes in the background.

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