At the end of a long day on the job, it can be tough to shake off work stress. Add in a frustrating commute and it may feel almost impossible to not start complaining as soon as you walk in the door. The thing is, bringing all that stress home can get in the way of communicating and connecting with your partner during what should be stress-free time.
Psychologists say it’s important to set you and your partner up for success when you clock out for the day, but there are a few after-work habits that can keep that from happening. These are the things we want to avoid because they could be secretly harming our relationships.
- Venting as soon as you walk in - Talking about your day is one thing, but constantly complaining or unloading on your significant other can overwhelm them.
- Avoiding talking about work stress altogether - It’s also not healthy to not talk about work stress at all and keeping it all inside, where it eats away at you.
- Doomscrolling or zoning out with social media - If you need a few minutes to decompress and enjoy doing that with a little screen time, that’s one thing, but if it means you’re not taking the time to connect with your partner, that’s not great for your relationship.
- Staying in problem-solving mode - Shutting off your “work brain” when you get home isn’t always easy, but if your S.O. is telling you about a frustrating experience, they may just want to be heard, not “solved.”
- Not respecting space - Pay attention to your partner’s emotional cues and if they seem like they need a little space, try your best to give it to them before venting about your day at work.
- Being inconsistent with responsibilities - Just because you had a rough day doesn’t mean you can just not do the chores that need to be done around the house and expect your partner to pick up the slack.
Being aware of these bad habits is the first step to fixing them. Psychologists recommend starting with a brief check-in or a few minutes to decompress can help you relax before engaging, which can change the tone of the evening.
Source: Parade