My spouse and I have never considered sharing a home office. It would be a disaster. I like to keep papers in files and he prefers to file his papers on the floor. I’m fine with one or two work surfaces and he needs as many surfaces as possible to store “stuff.”
Could you share an office with your spouse?
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t work with your spouse – and I know many people who do so successfully. However, they say that their ability to work together in business is directly related to their separate home offices.
Consider these questions before you share a home office with your spouse.
- Do you have compatible work styles? Your spouse may like a messy desk while you like having a clear space to work. Use separate desks to solve or avoid that problem.
- Are your internal clocks synchronized? If you’re a morning person and your spouse likes to stay up late, you may run into problems – including being kept awake by a noisy printer or phone calls. Invest in earplugs, add a door to close off your office (if possible), or convince your spouse to print in the morning.
- Does your home office have to be quiet for you to be productive – while your spouse needs background noise to work? Get him or her a set of headphones. While he or she is enjoying music, you can enjoy a quiet office.
Sharing a home office with my spouse didn’t work for me, but everyone’s different. And what happens in the bedroom doesn’t necessarily dictate what happens in the boardroom – even if both rooms are in the same house.
