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Starting a business when you’re not in a relationship is very easy. You get to wake up when you want to and sleep anytime you feel like it. It’s very easy to stick to your own schedule without a care in the world. But all these will change when you bring romance into the picture. Not just any casual fling but a committed, romantic relationship.
You suddenly have responsibilities to another person; it is not just about you anymore. Your actions affect you and your partner and if you’re not careful, you may lose your relationship.
Many successful businessmen have lost their relationships, not because they are not good enough or bad men, but because they find it difficult to balance their business and relationship. So, they lose out and settle for casual flings. This can lead to loneliness, depression, and strong emotional disorders.
This almost happened to me. My partner and I have different views about working. I’m of the opinion that to start and build a successful business, you’ve to put in all your time. It doesn’t matter when you’re working. But my partner doesn’t agree with me. She believes that there must be time to work and time to have fun. And in her opinion, the two shouldn’t be mixed together.
Okay. Admittedly, this was too much for me to handle. My business is still at its growth stage. I just have to put in the time to get it on its feet. So, we naturally had disagreements about my commitment to my business and my commitment to the relationship.
With time, I was able to balance the two. It wasn’t an easy feat but we did it together. It is a work in progress and I hope to maintain the balance.
Here are some of the changes I made to balance my business and romance.
Communicate clearly.
Your partner has to know what you’re going through in your business. They won’t know this unless you tell them. Don’t make assumptions.
There are times that I spent several hours communicating with my partner about what I need to do to get my business running. I’ll state clearly the things I need to do and the consequences if I fail to do them. I often make sure that I say the thing I mean to say without coming off as being insensitive.
The reason I do this is that I work mostly from home. And it’s easy for anyone — even my partner– to assume that my work is not important as those who work from a “real” office. Communicating clearly and showing her what I do has really helped us in understanding ourselves better.
Be flexible.
Flexibility will help you balance your responsibilities. There are times when you’ve no choice than to be available for your partner. When this happens, you must look for ways to balance your work responsibilities and vice-versa.
Sometimes, I’ve had reasons to be unavailable to my partner because of some tasks that needed to be done urgently for some of my clients. Initially, my partner doesn’t like this. She always thinks that I’m not committed to the relationship. But this is not so.
To balance things out, I make sure that I give her undivided attention when I’m less occupied. This way, I’m able to show that I’m fully committed to the relationship and then fulfill my romantic obligations.
Be transparent.
Honesty is very important in every relationship. It develops trust and removes any form of animosity. Sometimes, I feel like I’m revealing too much to my partner. It shouldn’t be so. When you’re in a romantic relationship that you care so much about, there is no revealing too much; you must be totally transparent with them.
This might not work for every man but this is what is working for me, and it has saved us from having unnecessary arguments that would have resulted from doubt. Full transparency helps. It is not as hard as it seems. When you’re transparent about your business with your partner, no matter what comes up, it will be easier for you to fill them in without wasting too much time.
I love my partner so much and I’m willing to show that I’m committed to our relationship. Finding a balance between business and romance is not easy. It takes time. It takes effort. It takes commitment. It requires making tough choices.
Sometimes, these choices are hard to make but you have to make them. And this is what makes a good man. As a man, you must make sure that you find that balance. Because when you do, you will live a fulfilled and peaceful life.
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Photo credit: Getty Images
This is beautiful. The society now is bereft of the knowledge for Balancing work and relationship. That is a plague that has eaten up families and relationship. Thanks for this write up… I’m sure to put them to work.
plus, your website is a great one. Any business minded person should be glued to the site.
Keep it up man.
Always a pleasure bro.
This is a very good and motivational write up about work and relationship. God will continue to motivate you.
Thank you mum.