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How to Prevent the Quarantine From Destroying Your Relationship
Because you’re co-workers now
Earlier this year, my fiancée and I moved into a one-bedroom, open-plan apartment. Small, cozy, and stylish, it was the perfect place to come home to after a long day at the office. We did not know it would soon become our shared office as we went into quarantine.
I started out hopeful. On the second day of the coronavirus lockdown, I woke up smiling, joking to my fiancée about our new adventure as co-workers. She laughed — and then muttered, “God, I’m going to miss my solitude.” It hit me then that we were in for a long journey ahead.
For couples who are used to kissing each other goodbye in the morning and not reuniting again until dinnertime, living and working together at home has become a minefield. Work habits and personas are suddenly on full display all day, every day: You might discover that your partner is a loud typer, a Slack giggler, or a “let’s circle back” guy.
There are logistical issues, too. What happens when you both have Zoom meetings scheduled for the same time? How do you divvy up chores when it seems like everything gets messier more quickly? When do you ever get time apart?
But even with all the challenges, you can make the most of this strange time, and even use it to become closer as a couple. Here are some ways to adjust to your new normal, together.
Schedule timeouts
Throughout our relationship, my fiancée and I have never spent all of our time together. We have different jobs, different friend circles. So now that we’re in the same space nearly 24/7, it’s been vital that we still make time to do our own thing.
So we schedule timeouts, little blocks of time during the day to enjoy our own separate interests. I might sit and listen to a podcast while she watches TV. Or she might go out to the garden for some fresh air while I sit and play the guitar. Make time for your own hobbies and delights, and put that time on the calendar to make sure you stick to it.
