Candid Couples Give Relationship Advice on the Effects of a Home Business on their Marriage: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

There are many things to consider when starting a home business. What type of home business will you start? What equipment, inventory or supplies will you need? Who will your potential customers and clients be? Who will be your primary competition?

However, one question few women tend to think about is, “Will my home business be good for my marriage?”

The answer depends on you and your approach to home business. You can count on your home business changing your life to some extent. It will add additional duties to your day, leave you with less time and may change your priorities. But does that mean it will be negative for your marriage? Or can it actually be good for your marriage? We asked some seasoned home-based working moms to give us their relationship advice and got some surprising answers.

“My home business has had a very positive effect on my marriage. When my husband arrives home from work I can’t wait to share some of the successes of the day. Also, I can contribute so much more to the family income. That takes an enormous pressure off of us,” Diana Ennen, Owner of VirtualWordPublishing.com shares.

Laurie Hurley of HomeTutoringBusiness.com adds, “We are more in tune with each other now that I work from home. It has been very good for our marriage.”

Another home business owner shared that it has actually brought them closer together as a family. “We bounce business ideas off of each other and everyone, including our three children, feels like it’s their business as well,” Julie Held, Owner of Stuff A Friend, added.

However, along with the positive, there are some negative ways a home business can impact your marriage. A very common mistake many people make is putting their marriage on autopilot when they start a home business. Some may wrongly believe their marriages are strong, secure and don’t need regular attention. The truth is no matter the stage, marriages need nurturing, affection and attention.

“I allowed my business to take over my life, and I neglected my family and my home. My husband was very patient through it all, and that made me really wake up. Now I make sure that I am connecting in a meaningful way to my husband and kids every day,” Darlene Hull, Owner of Mom-Defrazzler.com shares.

Another member shares how her home business saved her marriage. “We were on divorce road when I started my home business. Now we are conscious of where we need to improve because of things we’ve learned through my business self-development programs. I think we are happier now than when we first married,” Jhanna Dawson, owner of HighDesertBandB.com, adds.

So how can you ensure a happy marriage and a successful home business? We asked some members of HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com for their suggestions. Here are their tips:

• Nurture your relationship and plan quality time and regular date nights with your spouse.
• Have the same goals for your family, your marriage and your future together. And never let your spouse feel he is second behind the business. Jan Van Blarcum, CreativeTutors.com
• Set specific hours to work and be diligent about keeping those boundaries in tact. Darlene Hull, Mom-Defrazzler.com
• Prioritize family time and coordinate activities with your spouse on a family calendar. Jhanna Dawson, HighDesertBandB.com
• Outsource when needed. Hire a house cleaner, nanny or an assistant. We put our family first and remember to keep our priorities: God, spouse, family and work in proper order. Jodi Stott, Isagenix
• Talk about everything and discuss your options. Julie Held, Stuff A Friend
• Look to the Lord when you don’t see eye to eye. Holly R. Boyd, A1Organizing.com
• In business, learn to say no and mean it. In your personal life, learn to say yes and mean it. Candy Beauchamp, OffAssist.com
• When you are with your spouse or kids, be 100% with them. When you are working, focus 100% on your work. Lisa Druxman, StrollerStrides.com

Regardless of what stage your home business is in, sit down with your spouse to discuss these bits of relationship advice and other pertinent topics. It could help you avoid significant conflicts in the future. And who knows, maybe your home business will help make your marriage even stronger too.

Lesley Pyle is the founder and president of HBWM.com Inc. which includes the national association of Home-Based Working Moms helping moms network, learn and grow in their role as a Home-Based Working Mom and HireMyMom.com connecting at-home Mom Professionals with home-based jobs and projects in virtually every career field.  Pyle has been featured in numerous publications including Forbes, Entrepreneur, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Home Office Computing, and many others.  Twitter @lesleypyle and @hiremymom

Check out these other great articles about tips for moms as a work from home professional. Also check out our current job postings for mom professionals.