HOT topic this one… or so it was amongst our members within our closed facebook group just last week.
One of our members wrote “I am curious to understand… What Are Your 3 Biggest Frustrations/Challenges about working with your spouse?”
Well, I’m sure she wasn’t expecting the essay replies from the rest of the group, yes admittedly mainly the ladies, but you’d be surprised at the number of blokes that added their two cents worth.. get to them in a minute.
The thing we need to remember is the simple fact that 1 in 3 marriages end in divorce (so says the McCrindle Report on Fast Facts on Marriages in Australia), so when you work with your spouse, you can only imagine the odds are against you to become a statistic.
To prevent this from happening, you might want to know what some of the biggest challenges working with your spouse are and how you can overcome them. Besides, your vows say ‘till death do we part’, not ‘till the business breaks us first!’.
Let me share with you some of the challenges and advice that was shared between our Lifestyle Tradie members… maybe you have these issues too….
1. Blurred responsibilities
Stepping on each others toes, mixed communication and wasted time was the result.
We had to draw a line in the sand, based on our strengths, about clear detailed responsibilities.
2. “If you wouldn’t say it to an employee, then don’t say it to your partner… with that tone”.
yep, that tone will get you every time. You have to think to yourself, would I speak to a staff member like this? And if not, change it immediately.
Don’t take your partners comments personally when they pull you up on something. Remember they have the good of the business in mind.
3. Being together 24/7
Although I love working with my partner, the importance of taking time out – going to the gym, taking a walk alone or with a friend, a holiday with your girlfriends is really important.
4. Life Goals
Although personal life goals shouldn’t affect us, they actually do. If your goal is to live a relaxed lifestyle on the beach while your partner wants to work seven days a week in the office, things aren’t going to work out.
It just highlights the importance to talk about your future and what you both want to make sure your goals are aligned.
5. Emotions
Emotions tend to get the best of all of us. When someone calls you out or places blame on you, it is natural for you to argue and fight back.
You can’t get emotional with your partner; you need to be logical. When something is wrong, take a step back and look at it from an outsider’s perspective. Figure out what the logical response would be and take that approach.
At the end of the day you both will do what you feel is best for the company, so there is no need to get emotional. Emotions won’t help you accomplish your goals; they will just cloud your judgment.
This was simply a tiny part of the essay responses and conversation that came from it. All super helpful and informative advice from those that ‘live it’ every day!
Then Dave summed it up perfectly by say:
“The way I look at it.
- We are in business to earn more.
- To take extra leave, when possible.
- To be more flexible with our time.
- To make decisions others can’t.”
He knows how to look at the positive in every situation.
Thanks Lifestyle Tradie crew for your honest discussion and open hearts. That’s why you ROCK!
What’s next?
- Join our Kick-Ass Tradies Facebook Group, for access to trade business specific conversations, tips and resources, plus a like-minded community of tradies.
- Book a 15-minute Game Plan Call with Andy, owner of Dr. DRiP plumbing and co-founder of Lifestyle Tradie, to clarify your priorities and get clear action steps.
What tips do you have to prevent having a punch up with your spouse on a daily basis? We’d LOVE to hear it.
