A Guide to Help Your Partner Brace the Storm Of Work

Home is supposed to be a sanctuary from the hardships of one’s professional life.

However, the reality is not a fairytale which approves of this statement. Everybody deals with the harsh reality of work stress and often this affects the environment at home. Dealing with stress is a fact of working life. This stress duals itself when you belong to the other half of a fully functioning relationship. Hence, helping your partner overcome the stress of work is necessary to keep your relationship running smoothly. Read through to find and implement effective ways to do so.

Always offer a helping ear

As important as it is to communicate, listening also plays a crucial role in shaping a healthy relationship. If your partner comes home with frustrations of the workplace and begins a long rant, do not get irritated and offer instead, to listen to what they say. You do not need to provide solutions unless that’s what they ask for, as most people just want to talk about it. Sympathize and empathize when required but most importantly, just listen! This makes your partner feel a belonging to a safe place where feelings can be expressed comfortably. Talking it all out can give a sense of relief and thus cuts through the tension in the air from hovering over your home. Just two ears and a loving heart - that's all it takes! 

Be attentive and reflect 

Identifying the nature of stress your partner goes through is an important task. Studies indicate the existence of two kinds of work stress- the sporadic stress which occurs on specific occasions like losing a deal or having a meeting go wrong, and the chronic stress which is constant prolonged stress lasting over long days. The correct identification of the chronic kind of stress is necessary. The person suffering this may not be in the correct state of mind to recognize the same. This is where the role of the partner comes in. Pay more attention to the issues going on at work and rule out the causes. Once you're sure of the latter kind of stress, a detailed discussion accompanied by effective solutions can save your partner from destroying their mental well-being.

 Detox from electronics
 

Laptops, computers and mobile phones have become a part of our everyday life. However, these also play an important role in our professional lives. From work calls to an important email, work can now follow you inside your pocket, wherever you go. It is important that couples recognize the harms of their professional lives hovering above their heads. Every couple must work out ‘rules’ to bring work into the living space. This way the stress does not enter the comfort of your home and enables the other to relax. Help your partner achieve this by distracting them with other activities. Engage in activities both of you love to do together and help each other maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Spice up the bedroom

Sex, or as Sheldon would say, coitus, has always known to be an effective method of stress relief. Studies state that sex activates a variety of neurotransmitters that have an impact both on the brain and other organs of the body. Intercourse produces oxytocin and other mood-boosting hormones. It also helps two individuals connect and healthy sex life is an important part of a healthy relationship. Keep the bedroom to yourself and enjoy healthy intercourse as frequently as possible. This keeps all the stress at bay and also strengthens your bond.

Offer support and healthy advice

Partners rely on each other for the most amounts of support. Use this to your benefit when the work stress experienced by your other half, gets increasingly noticeable. Play ‘career coach’ and begin by understanding the extent of the problem. After discussion, offer suggestions which can be beneficial. It is often believed that one knows their partners more than they know themselves, therefore, giving the right advice will not be an issue in most cases. Make a list of pros and cons for your partner to visualize the effects of certain advice as just making suggestions can often go in vain. 

Practice these techniques to help each other cope through the hardships of your professional lives. Be attentive, understanding and a pillar of support. Team work, that's what it takes to brace the storm with your head held high!