"10 Rules for Working with a Spouse"

From the Desk of Lee Romano Sequeira

1. Let’s get the MOST important rule out of the way first. In the morning, COFFEE is numero uno (in our world anyway). Make sure someone has planned ahead and put the beans in the coffeemaker, so you can both enjoy a fresh pot of those magical and delicious little beans at the touch of a button.

P.S. Don’t skimp on coffee – buy the good stuff (organic fair trade coffee beans) 

2. Schedule your meetings early in the day (with that piping hot coffee, as mentioned in Rule #1) . Days always slip away too quickly as they get busier (phones, emails) as the day rolls on.

3.  Create your Master Plan. You should both be on the same page with what is absolutely crucial to have done by the end of the day. Keep each other accountable!

4. Host a talent show! Well, not literally. Since you are spouses, not twins, you should each have your own set of skills and ‘who does what best’ – divide and conquer your own A to Z business task list with all of those magnificent talents of yours.

5. If your business involves selling or bringing in new customers, make a contest out of it. Try for the most new leads for a night at your favorite restaurant or maybe a nice massage, or really great bottle of wine. Be creative!

6. TAKE 10 and give yourselves a break! You should each take a 10 minute break (separately) in the morning and another in the afternoon to catch up on reading the news, play a bit on Facebook (you know, birthdays are not official until you wish them on their FB page) or just go to your own Zen space and breathe.

7. Get out! Literally. Make certain you give each other your own space. If you’re lucky enough to have commercial space outside of your home (we are fortunate to have such a space) one of you should go there at least two or three days a week. If you’re both working from home offices, find a quiet local coffee shop or diner to tote your laptop or tablet to every so often. Absence makes the heart….well, absence will have you not wanting to play Punch & Judy (get my drift?)

8. Never lose your sense of humor! Yes, a few of your partner’s “work quirks” you may not have even known about will surface, and they may drive you crazy from time to time. For example, I often say, “You have HOW many POST-IT notes on your desk?” or “Did you know you have 2999 UNREAD messages in your inbox? YIKES!” Try to laugh at the little things – and sometimes you just have to laugh at the big things also. As they say, Don’t’ Sweat the Small Stuff.

9. Dance your worries away! Stressful week? Head out to the local Salsa club together, or just turn up the volume of your favorite music in your home. Go ahead, blast your tunes, just do it after hours, so your customers don’t call and think they dialed up a disco!

10. Night time rules for “pillow talk”. Remember that business is business, not the scope of your entire marriage, so try to leave all (ok, at least 95%) of the business chit chat out of the bedroom please.

*Originally published by Christina Hamlett MEDIA MAGNETISM blog https://mediamagnetism.org/guest-blogs-2

Lee blings messages to life in sparkling rhinestones with her husband and/business partner Andrew. They share a home in Philadelphia with their two Westie Sophie. Lee is currently writing a humorous memoir to be published in 2018. Give them a look at www.Sparkle-Plenty.com