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Can what I do from 9 to 5 affect my marriage?

On Behalf of | Jan 11, 2023 | Divorce

The term, “work-life balance” is bouncing through multiple headlines and articles these days. And, during these trying times, how our work affects our lives has never been a hotter topic. However, one topic that has not been such a hot topic is how our jobs can affect our marriages.

Can it affect our marriages?

In a 24-hour day, if we spend 2 hours commuting, 9 hours at work and 8 hours at home, there is only 5 hours left in the day left for our personal needs and our spouses each workday. On the weekend, if we must still work, those precious hours with our loved ones are further reduced.

With this full-time schedule, it is easy to see how your job can impact your marriage, and it does not factor in the stress you bring home, the stress your job may have on your spouse and, if you work a lot of overtime, the complete lack of time you actually spend with your loved ones.

Highest divorce rates

With that information in mind, the jobs with the highest divorce rates are not surprising. They have the highest stress levels, longest times away from family and are, bluntly, dangerous. These include active military service, mechanics, technicians and other blue-collar workers. Some of these professions are very well paid too, which shows that time and stress are often more important than money.

Lowest divorce rates

The jobs with the lowest divorce rates are somewhat surprising as it includes lawyers. However, it also includes scientists, doctors, therapists and several other high-paying professions.

Should I be looking for a career change?

For our Evansville, Indiana, readers, this does not, necessarily, mean that you should be looking for a new profession. However, it does mean that you should check in with your spouse. Ask them if they are happy. Talk with them about how your career affects them and think about how your spouse’s career affects you. This is the best way to make sure that your career choice is not negatively impacting your marriage.

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