How Career Stress Impacts Your Relationship (and What to Do About It)

You can have it all — a successful career and a healthy relationship. However, striking a balance between the two is important. While some stress is unavoidable, it’s essential to manage the stress caused by your career before it takes a toll on your relationship.

Whether you’re working your way up the ladder or your career demands a lot from you, the stress caused by your job can have a direct impact on your relationship in a variety of ways. It can lead to dissatisfaction, less quality time together, and more.

Let’s dive a little deeper into how career stress affects your relationship and what you can do to manage it.

Quality Time and Emotional Distance

The more time you spend at work, the less time you’ll have with your partner. So, perhaps the easiest suggestion would be to work fewer hours. Of course, that’s not always an option. Maybe your job requires long hours, or you’re trying to work your way up to a better position. The problem really arises when you bring work home with you, even when you’re off the clock.

Do you find yourself answering emails at night, or bringing home projects to work on? If your job is demanding, you might feel you have to keep working even when you’re supposed to have free time.

Not only does that take up more time, but it causes a lot of stress. That stress can lead you to withdraw from your partner and the things you typically enjoy doing together. It will also likely lead to emotional distance, causing you to feel isolated and disconnected.

Increased Irritability

When you’re under a lot of stress, you’re more likely to feel irritable. If your partner wants to spend time with you or even expresses their feelings, you might “snap” at them or respond in ways that aren’t typically in your nature.

Increased stress in a relationship often leads to more conflict. The more you argue, as a couple, the easier it is for your relationship dynamic to change.

Ignoring Your Partner’s Needs

It’s not uncommon for stress to create dissatisfaction in a romantic relationship. When you’re consumed by the stress of your career, you might unintentionally ignore your partner’s needs and feelings.

That can make them feel neglected and uncared for, causing dissatisfaction and leading to a negative impact on both people’s emotional well-being.

Breaking the Cycle

Unfortunately, the impact of career stress on a relationship is often cyclical. The more stressed you are about work, the greater the toll on your relationship. If your relationship is on shaky ground, even more stress will travel with you to work. So, you end up struggling in both areas of life and might feel you can’t find peace or comfort anywhere.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

There are things you can do to not only manage career stress but to improve your relationship.

First, establish boundaries. Avoid work-related tasks during your personal time and be present with your partner. Next, make sure you prioritize healthy communication. If you’re having a hard time, consider working with a mental health professional through couples counseling. Counseling can help you learn how to be more effective communicators in your relationship. You’ll each be able to express your feelings and needs, even when things are difficult.

Finally, make time for self-care. If a high-stress job is taking a toll on your personal well-being and affecting other areas of life, it’s important to combat those feelings. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Stay physically active. Practice mindfulness. Self-care looks different for everyone, so don’t be afraid to incorporate different things into your routine.

If you find that you’re struggling with career stress and it’s affecting your relationship, reach out for help. Couples counseling can make a big difference in your relationship while helping you learn how to manage your stress more effectively. Contact us today to set up an appointment.