Managing a marriage is a bit like running a business: it requires strategic planning, teamwork, job descriptions and a sense of humor. Applying your business or work skills to your marriage can lead to a happier and more fulfilling relationship. Here are some playful insights and tips to help you utilize your “in office” skills in the building of a successful marriage!
How Your Marriage is Like a Business
- Legal Agreements: Just like in business, marriage is based on legally binding agreements which include marriage vows and licenses. Think of it as your personal contract for stability and happiness!
- Economic Growth: Marriage can be the foundation for personal and economic growth, just like a successful business.
- Long-term Project: Marriage is a long-term project that uses skills like communication, people management, and budgeting.
- Set Goals: Similar to a business, marriage has goals that guide your decisions and actions.
- Societal Judgment: Society judges your success in marriage, much like it judges business success.
How Your Marriage is NOT Like a Business
- No School: Unlike business, there are fewer educational opportunities for learning how to build a successful marriage. It’s a skill based endeavor but where does one get those skills?
- Social Stigmas: There are still social stigmas around seeking marital support/education, unlike the well-established institutionalized support for businesses.
- Prestige vs. Health: achieving marital wealth is often valued more than maintaining marital health.
Creating a Vision and Mission for Your Marriage
Just like in business, creating a vision and mission statement for your marriage can provide clarity and direction. Have you and your spouse discussed what you want out of your life together in the short and long term? Having a clear vision can help you stay on track, make forward moving decisions and navigate challenges together.
Roles and Responsibilities
Defining roles and responsibilities within your marriage can prevent conflicts and misunderstandings. Just like in a business, clearly outlining who does what can lead to smoother operations. Maybe you’re the CEO of household repairs, while your spouse is the CFO of family finances! Stick to your roles! Change them only if you both agree. You would never redefine your job at work without first obtaining consent from those affected. Don’t do it at home either.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
In both business and marriage, teamwork is essential. Noting each other’s skills and utilizing all of them together will lead to a more harmonious relationship and abundant life. As in business, everyone has a unique role to play in making the marriage successful.
Celebrating Effort
Instead of solely focusing on results, celebrate the effort put into your marriage. Just like in business, sometimes the effort is what matters most because failure is often a stepping stone to success. Valuing each other’s efforts and intentions, will create the feeling of success before results reflect it.
Get Help When Needed
Seeking help and support when needed is crucial for both businesses and marriages. Just as businesses rely on specialists and consultants, marriages also benefit from expert advice. Seek help as individuals and as a couple when you need it. Doing so helps you understand how the “machine” of your marriage works, its components, strengths and shortcomings. If you want your marriage to create joy more efficiently, help the machine run at its best by getting the help you need to run it.
Applying work/business skills to your marriage can lead to a more successful and fulfilling relationship. By understanding the similarities and differences between the two, you navigate the complexities of marriage with greater ease, success and fulfillment
