A question I keep getting asked is: “How the hell do I all of the sudden work with my significant other.”
Now, for the last 6 weeks I’ve been home alone with Zaza, so I’ve been able to work on my own, without interruptions ( mostly ). I mean, when the boss wants something, she wants something.
Needless to say, it was pretty fucking shocking when I realized I’d be quarantined with Michael, working from home, out of our living room. Many of you can relate, I’m sure. It’s really fucking heavy to be sitting in a room with your significant other 24 hours a day.
So, I thought it would be nice to dedicate a post on how to get through ( & I mean get through ) working with your boyfriend, husband, wife or girlfriend during this time. SHIT, even your roommate now that I think about it.
Here are some tips that can make the shocking transition a little easier.
The Skinny Confidential’s Tips For Couples Working From Home:
♡ alcohol.
Ok, I kid, I kid. But really, a glass of wine or champagne, hell, even a skinny margarita can really help at the end of the day. But let’s get to the tangible tips…
♡ understand how your partner works.
I guess we could call this their ‘work language.’ For example, when Michael is on a business call I know that’s the only thing he can do. He needs to concentrate without any distractions so I try to give him space when he’s on the phone. The TV gets turned off, the music gets turned off & I try to be super mellow.
He also knows that when I’m on my phone, I’m working, not sitting there mindlessly scrolling Instagram. So he’s respectful of that.
♡ set the mood.
Make sure your work space is clean & set up just how you want it. For me, that’s a clean, organized desk, Bossa nova playing in the background, lit candles & tangerine oil in the diffuser.
♡ utilize Google invite.
It’s kinda fun to have a Google calendar set up so both of you can see what’s happening. When I have calls, I’ll alert Michael so he knows that I mean business during that time. Or if I want to do a workout in the living room, I’ll put it in his calendar so he knows what’s going on.
♡ rotate housework & doing things for kids.
We’ve been switching off with Zaza & it’s been helpful. If you have kids, it helps to switch duties so responsibilities are shared. Michael will entertain Zaza with tummy time while I work on my latest blog post, & I can feed Zaza while he hops on a call.
♡ be respectful.
This is where we can all get into trouble if things get too annoying. Designate work space for each one of you & respect it.
♡ take breaks.
It’s important to take a lunch break or do something other than work. Taking some time to breathe is very necessary.
♡ bounce ideas off each other.
As much as it’s important to give each other space, you can also try to involve one another in ideas or things happening at work. This helps the flow of conversation too. Just because your work is separate, doesn’t mean you can’t talk about it.
♡ one word: boundaries.
If you live with someone who asks 100 questions every hour, then let him know that you’ll answer all those questions between at ‘blank’ time. Michael is a bit of a questions guy. LOL. If it gets to be too much, sometimes I’ll just remove myself from the room. Going to a different space helps a lot.
You could also blame it on the baby. “The baby really needs some quiet time right now. She’s getting fussy so please hold off on the questions until she’s up from her nap.” Thx so much.
♡ stroke the ego.
There’s nothing like a good stroke to your partner’s ego. Let them know if you notice something they’re great at. I’ll try to give Michael 2 compliments a day to lighten the mood, then it’s fun to casually drop a deadline so you have to stop talking. Love a fake deadline. A little white lie never hurt a flea.
♡ keep the volume of your phone off or low.
If you’re gonna scroll, don’t watch videos at a loud volume. There’s nothing worse than inconsiderate background noise when you’re trying to work. In fact, just put on some headphones if you’re gonna do that.
On another note, you could always get yourself some noise canceling headphones. Michael & I have both been big fans of these ones for years. They’re so comfortable & you literally can’t hear a thing ( except for what you’re listening to, of course ).
♡ know when to call it.
If you’re getting into a fight or you can feel one brewing, just walk away. Sometimes I go up to our roof if Michael is driving me really nuts. This tends to happen after I’ve answered every single question that I could possibly answer.
It’s best just to remove yourself, go to your roof, go to your room, clean a closet- whatever it is, just leave!
♡ have fun.
Try to have some fun with it. Open up a bottle of champagne & have a mimosa on a Thursday. Have sex during your lunch break. While we’re on that topic, you should know that Woo lube is antibacterial. It’s seriously amazing & makes sex so much better. It’s made of all natural ingredients & tastes like a vanilla cupcake. Yum!
Before we go, I also wanted to talk about a post that @emilyschuman shared on Instagram. ( Her & her husband were on the podcast btw. Listen here if you haven’t already ).
Definitely check out her post, but to break it down, her tips are:
+ maintain some semblance of a routine.
+ stick to your normal schedule as much as you can.
+ do any kind of movement possible ( check out my Instagram for the quick workouts Kim Kelly & Parker Pilates have been sending me ).
+ do something a bit more special than you’d usually do ( hey mimosas! ).
+ take care of yourself physically & mentally.
So those are my tips for not going fucking crazy while you work at home with someone else right beside you. If you have any other tips, send them my way. We need all the help we can get at this point.
Would love to know what posts you guys want to see during this weird time. Let me know, k?
In the meantime, stay safe.
Until next time, lauryn. x
+ scope my top 5 tips to boost immunity.
++ why you absolutely need pink shoe covers, immediately.
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This one was definitely helpful!
<3
Yeah! its helping during quarantine…
LOL