Is your spouse annoying you while working from home? Tips from other couples

Working from home presents its own challenges, but when you and your partner are both working remotely, you’re bound to get on each other’s nerves from time to time. This article features 3 couples and how they’re choosing to work from home together in quarantine. 

This article was originally published on CNBC.com on April 8, 2020.

‘You’re going to annoy each other more than normal’: 3 couples on how they’re working from home together

For millions of Americans, learning to work from home for the first time also means learning how to work with a new office mate: their significant other. For even the closest of couples, being introduced to a partner’s professional persona and sharing close quarters for an extended period of time requires an adjustment.

CNBC Make It spoke with three couples about what working from home with their partner has taught them about themselves, each other and keeping their sanity (and relationship) intact.

Below is a summary of tips from each couple.

The couple that just moved in together

• Share meeting schedules with as much notice as possible.
• Headphones come in handy, as does having a separate room to spread out.
• Focus on communication, setting boundaries and sharing the small space at all times. 

The newlyweds celebrating their 1-year anniversary

• Rotate to the kitchen table (or common area) throughout the day and coordinate phone meetings.
• Emphasize communication. That includes talking about what’s not working and finding a solution together.

“You’re going to annoy each other more than normal, so talk about it and find a way to address it.” 

• Realize that actually spending every moment doing the same activity is unrealistic and creates tension.
• Make sure to have enough time to yourself and socialize with your own friends virtually.
• Find ways to celebrate special occasions together.

The married couple working as a team

• Set up an office in the guest room for privacy.
• Establish a new routine, including time to catch up over meals.

”It’s not an easy time right now, but we’ve been able to talk through things and find ways to adjust together.”

• Discuss what household errands need to be run during the day, when public crowds are smaller, and take a divide-and-conquer approach as to who will go where and when.
• Share concerns with each other about things going on.

Written by Jennifer Lu

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