Communicate Better with Everyone (HBR Working Parents Series)

13

Help Your Partner Cope with Work Stress

by Rebecca Knight

Quick Takes

• Give your partner your undivided attention
• Be compassionate—not competitive
• Ask probing questions
• Consider the difference between sporadic and chronic stress
• Encourage your spouse to develop their support network
• Create a haven

Home is a sanctuary from work stress, right? Not always. Even if you are able to leave your projects and worries at the office, your spouse may have difficulty doing so—and that stress can rub off on you. How can you help your partner cope? What’s the best thing to say when your partner starts complaining—and what should you not say? Is there a way to help them see things differently? And how can you set boundaries so that home can be a haven ...