Working from home might be convenient, but for some, it’s far from comfortable. A new survey from PRPioneer.com, a PR and digital marketing site, polled 3,500 Americans working from home about relationships with their colleagues vs. their partners…And in New Jersey, 41% say they miss their “work spouse” more than they’d miss their actual partner.
A “work spouse” is a colleague with whom one has a special bond and feels comfortable and focused, especially common when two people often work together closely. It makes sense that “work spouses” are so important to our productivity; work takes up a big chunk of our daily lives, and humans need support and intimacy.
However, work spouses can also be a source of jealousy or resentment. Your relationship with them may not be romantic, but it does get personal: 1 in 10 New Jerseyans polled say they’ve accidentally called their partner by their work spouse’s name.
Part of the problem is feeling less productive when you and your colleagues are separated. In New Jersey, 2 in 3 couples say they’re not as productive stuck with each other as they would be with their work spouses.
Of course, most people don’t work with their partner. Without someone to bounce ideas off of and to keep us on-task, it’s easy to feel distracted and lose momentum.
If you and your partner get distracted, PRPioneer.com has a list of advice that may help you focus. Designating firm working spaces, as well as setting boundaries each morning, can help keep work and personal life separate.
They even recommend having “post-work dates” at home to spend time together as a couple. A little romance after closing time never hurt!
To learn more, read PRPioneer.com’s full survey results.
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