Whether your spouse is the CEO of a major company who jets off three days a week for conferences or works a truck driving job with routes that often take them far from home, you have probably experienced the anxiety and tension that comes along with having a spouse who is constantly away from home.
Over time, your marriage can start to feel like a long-distance relationship. If you don’t know how to properly manage this type of situation, your marriage could be on the fast track to failure. Take these steps to navigate the rough waters of having a spouse who travels for work.
Acknowledge How Your Feelings are Playing a Role
Sometimes, your emotions and irrational thoughts might cause more harm than the traveling. While it’s perfectly normal to feel lonely while your spouse is away, consider why their absence is causing you so much strife.
Do you feel unfulfilled in your own life? Feelings of resentment, jealousy, and anxiety are probably affecting your marriage more than you realize. Once you acknowledge these feelings, you will be able to feel better while your spouse is away.
Start a Conversation
It’s important to understand how being away from their home and family affects your spouse too. It can be so easy to become consumed with how their work life makes us feel that we forget that it is hard on them too. Talk to your spouse openly about how traveling is affecting both of you. You may be surprised to hear them say that staying in nice hotels don’t match up to sleeping next to you at night.
You may feel reluctant at first, but talking openly with your spouse about how you feel in a calm, loving way will help you tremendously. They will be glad that you shared with them and you will feel better after releasing those bottled-up emotions.
Shift Your Focus
Often times, all it takes to solve a problem is a change in focus or perspective. Every irrational thought you have is likely related to a deeper issue beyond what is on the surface.
For example, if you are afraid your spouse will be unfaithful while they are away, yet they have never shown any signs of infidelity, this could mean you have an issue with trust. If you find yourself feeling jealous of their travels, maybe you feel like you haven’t traveled enough in your life.
Whatever your thoughts throw at you, try to look at them objectively and use them as tools to self-improve.
Enjoy the Time to Yourself
Instead of thinking of the time you are away from your spouse as dreadful time apart, why not look at it as an opportunity for some time for yourself? When was the last time you had complete reign over which shows to watch or what to get for dinner? Using time apart for enjoyment, reconnecting with friends, and self-improvement are the best ways to kick separation anxiety to the curb.
By acknowledging how you both feel and talking openly, you will be able to enjoy your time apart more and fully appreciate the times when you are together.
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