Working from Home with your Spouse
Anyone who has had to transition to working from home knows that it is a whole different lifestyle than going to the office every day. When you add working with a spouse to that, it is an even bigger transition.
Levi & I have been working from home together since 2019, and have learned a lot about what works & what doesn’t!
1. Establish a Rhythm
Giving yourself time to figure out what a good rhythm is key to finding success in working from home. Things will feel different than if you are used to working in a large office setting or alone in your own space.
What times of the day do you like to connect as a couple? When is your ideal work schedule? Do you have set times you *have* to be online?
Some examples of rhythms could be:
+ Wake up at the same time, workout together, eat breakfast together, spend some time reading, then begin your workday. Eat lunch separately, do your own things in the evening
+ Wake up at different times, each do your own thing in the morning, work throughout the day. Both finish work at the same time & then spend time eating dinner together & hanging out in the evening.
There is no “right” way to establish a rhythm, but identifying things that work & don’t work for you as a couple can be key to feeling some sense of stability.
2. Identify Boundaries
Boundaries are essential in all working environments, but even more so when you are at home and mixing personal relationships & work.
The more you can talk and identify what good boundaries are, the easier it is to work together.
Some examples of boundaries we have implemented:
(these aren’t “right” boundaries, they are just examples to pull from)
+ When we tell the other person”I am putting my headphones in” it is our version of saying “It is time for me to work now, please don’t interrupt me”
+ We do not talk about work-related issues in the evenings (and never in the bedroom when I am trying to fall asleep 😅)
+ Physical boundaries: We have set places where we like to do our work that give us space from one another
3. Creating a Workspace
Do you need to go spend thousands of dollars to make a dreamy wfh space? No, probably not.
Is it ideal to have a space that you enjoy working at? Yes!
When we first started working from home, we didn’t do much to make it any different. However, over the years we have invested in a few things that have made our working experience a whole lot better.
Workspace things that are important to us:
+ Good drinks so we don’t feel we need to drive to a coffee shop every single day
+ Candles to create a nice ambiance
+ Diffuser, we love having essential oils going while we work
+ A set-aside desk just for working
Overview
Working with your spouse can be tricky, but we know that with time you learn more & more about one another.
We hope this blog post gave you some inspiration!
Resources
These are some things we love that make working together better:
We are Levi and Victoria. Husband and wife creative team based in Kelowna, British Columbia. We are photographers and entrepreneurs who specialize in wedding photography & helping others build profitable brands in line with their passions.
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