“Help, my spouse is married to their job.” This is what gets said so often in struggling marriages.
Are you the one saying this? Or, is your spouse the one saying this in your marriage?
Seriously, raise your hand if you would consider yourself a busy, working professional. I think I see your hand up.
- Did that career come easy?
- Did you build that career overnight?
My assumption is that your career required a lot of hard work, late nights, and difficult decisions. It can be hard to find the balance between building a successful career and keeping our relationships in tact. Is there a way to keep relationships healthy and thriving while also being successful at a busy career that has taken a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to build?
Grace Marriage would say the answer is “yes”. While being intentional in your marriage, you can continue to grow and thrive with your spouse in the midst of a busy career.
Here are five (5) simple ways you can prioritize your marriage to continue growing together:
Idea #1: Set realistic goals for the week ahead together.
Take a morning or night once a week to sit down and discuss the expectations you each have for the coming week. Frustration is always birthed out of unmet expectation. If you have a particularly busy week but are honest about realistic expectations in the midst of it, then you have set your spouse up for success.
Idea #2: Show affection when you are together.
Even if your time together in the same room is short, holding hands or lovingly reaching out with physical touch can be so meaningful and build connection. Physical touch is a part of marriage that is reserved for your spouse. Use that connecting point in any and all ways you can to feel closer and cared for in your marriage.
Idea #3: Don’t split your quality time with anything else.
Use the time you have together wisely. Don’t have the phone right next to you or the TV on. Too many couples spend hours in the same room without ever really connecting through conversation. You really don’t need a lot of time for some soul-connecting conversation. You just need to use the time you do have wisely.
Idea #4: Ask your spouse for help.
While it may make you feel uncomfortable, it actually empowers your spouse to know you are being vulnerable enough to ask for their help. Asking for help in busy seasons prevents friction and resentment. It can help connect the two of you in a very practical way.
Idea #5: Show support for your spouse’s passions.
Support each other’s goals. Be willing to make sacrifices in order to help your spouse achieve what they believe God has called them to. Spouses who encourage and cheer one another on are much happier and fulfilled together. Support should not be one sided. Everyone has passions and dreams. Both spouses need to feel like their best friend is in their corner.
While simple and extremely easy to implement, these five practices will allow your marriage to thrive in the midst of your busy career. They aren’t complicated, but they all require intentionality and care. Your relationship with your spouse is the most important relationship you have on this earth, and it needs to be treated with love and care and given priority in your life. Even in the midst of a busy career, your marriage can thrive and be a life-giving relationship that brings honor and glory to the Lord.
Louise has been married for 15 years and has four children. She loves to write and edit, but her full-time job is homeschooling her children in Colorado Springs.
Grace Marriage Writer & Editor