We Can Do Hard Things Is Work Stress Sabotaging Your Relationships? | Dr. Alexandra Solomon
How Work Stress Silently Destroys Relationships and What To Do About It
Work stress doesn’t stay at work — it deeply affects our relationships and even our partner's well-being. Dr. Alexandra Solomon explains that the emotional toll of stressful or unsatisfying jobs floods into our homes, creating tension, resentment, and health risks for both partners.
Couples often get caught in "suffering Olympics," comparing who has it worse at work, which fuels conflict instead of connection. Understanding each other's work meanings—whether viewing work as a job, career, or calling—is crucial to avoid misunderstandings.
Healthy couples create clear boundaries between work and home, practice vulnerability about their ambitions and wounds triggering work behaviors, and intentionally protect their relationship from work's pressure. Making home a sanctuary where partners feel seen and supported helps absorb the impact of work stress rather than letting it sabotage intimacy and connection.
Work Stress Impacts Relationships
- Work stress massively impacts relationship dynamics because workplace inequalities and conditions carry into home life.
- Stress goes both ways: home problems affect work, and work stress affects home relationships profoundly.
Three Couple Career Types
- Three couple types with career conflicts exist: slasher/traditionalist, coaster/climber, and meaning maker/money maker.
- Differences in ambition and work orientation can cause misunderstandings and resentment if unacknowledged.
