If you want to prioritize your relational and mental health while working in close proximity with your partner, you must begin the conversation. The more you discuss your preferences, feelings, expectations, and styles, the better your work-from-home experience will be. Explore these effective relationship tips for partners sharing a home office.
Discuss Routines and Expectations
You and your partner are two different people with different workplace expectations and routine preferences. One of you may be an early riser; the other may be a night owl. When you share a working space, you must discuss morning and lunchtime routines so you know when the office is empty.
You should also discuss your work expectations and preferences. Do you like a quiet environment or having music playing in the background? Do you need alone time for maximum focus, or do you thrive on proximity and peer pressure? Setting ground rules is a crucial first step in sharing a home office with your partner.
Communicate Your Feelings
Communication is the number one priority for couples sharing a work-from-home space. It may sound like a given, but you’d be surprised how many people fail to communicate about the small things, especially things related to workplace productivity and personal space. Discuss everything with your partner, from desk organization to wall art. The more you have out in the open, the easier and more pleasant your experience will be.
Design a Co-Working Space
Most home offices have a setup for one. When you work with your partner in the same home office, don’t simply add on to this solo space—create a truly bifurcated system with as much separation and autonomy as possible. While you love your partner, you don’t want to constantly communicate about shared office items. For example, you should follow home office storage tips for couples that give you each a place to put your things.
Put these relationship tips for partners sharing a home office into practice as soon as you move into the same workspace together. The more you converse about the topic, the smoother your work-from-home lives will become. You spend countless time together in the afternoons, evenings, and weekends, so don’t sour those sweet hours with workspace bitterness.