Working in versus on business

Stop Getting Stuck in the Day-to-Day: How Maritalpreneurs Can Create Systems for Success in Business and Love Inspired by The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber

Running a business and a marriage often feels like an endless treadmill. You’re working hard—maybe harder than ever—but the progress feels slow or nonexistent. Why? Because you’re stuck working in the business, not on the business.

Michael E. Gerber, in his groundbreaking book The E-Myth Revisited, describes this common trap. Entrepreneurs often get bogged down doing technical work—baking cakes, answering emails, or troubleshooting problems. This leaves no time for building systems that enable growth and sustainability.

Maritalpreneurs face the same challenge in their relationships. When all your energy goes toward the day-to-day grind of running a household, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture: your shared dreams, goals, and emotional connection.

To thrive in both areas, you must step back and work on your business and marriage, not just in them.

Why the "Day-to-Day Trap" Holds You Back

In Business:

Focusing solely on operations keeps you tethered to the present. You’re busy fulfilling orders, handling customer complaints, or managing employees—but who’s steering the ship toward growth? Without systems, your business depends on you for everything, and that’s not sustainable.

In Marriage:

The same is true in relationships. Handling chores, parenting duties, and schedules is essential, but these daily demands can drown out time for emotional connection, goal setting, and shared experiences. Without stepping back, couples risk growing apart while managing their lives side by side.

The solution? Shift your mindset. Start viewing your business—and your marriage—as something to design and refine, not just maintain.

How Maritalpreneurs Can Work On Their Business and Marriage

1. Schedule Regular “CEO Days”

A CEO Day is dedicated time to step away from daily operations and focus on the big picture. For your business, this means assessing systems, defining goals, and strategizing.

• What to Do During a CEO Day:

• How to Apply This to Your Marriage: Treat your marriage like your most important business partnership. A “Marriage CEO Day” might involve discussing family goals, revisiting your shared vision, or simply planning fun ways to reconnect.

Actionable Tip:

Block one day per month for your CEO Day and Marriage CEO Day. For the latter, find a quiet space, free from distractions, to focus on your relationship.

2. Build Systems to Free Your Time

Systems are the foundation of growth in business and love. They create consistency and free you from micromanaging every detail.

• In Business: Document recurring tasks and delegate them to team members or tools. For example, create a workflow for onboarding clients or use automation software for routine emails.

• In Marriage: Create systems for managing household responsibilities. Examples include a shared calendar for appointments or weekly meal prep routines.

Actionable Tip: Identify three repetitive tasks in your business and three in your personal life. Find ways to streamline, delegate, or automate them this week.

3. Have Quarterly “Marriage Retreats”

Just as businesses conduct quarterly reviews to assess progress and set future goals, couples can benefit from intentional time to reflect and reconnect.

• What to Do During a Marriage Retreat:

Actionable Tip:

Book your next quarterly retreat today. It doesn’t have to be extravagant—a weekend at home or a local Airbnb works just fine. The key is uninterrupted time together.

4. Revisit and Redefine Your Vision

Without a clear vision, both businesses and marriages can drift off course. Vision keeps you grounded in what matters most, especially during challenging times.

• In Business: Write or update your company’s vision statement. This should outline where you want to go and how you’ll get there.

• In Marriage: Create a “relationship vision.” What does success look like for you as a couple in 5, 10, or 20 years? This could include financial goals, travel dreams, or family milestones.

Actionable Tip:

Write down one business goal and one personal goal for the next 12 months. Share these with your partner and brainstorm ways to support each other.

5. Outsource or Delegate to Avoid Burnout

Trying to do everything yourself is a recipe for exhaustion. In both business and marriage, asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

• In Business: Hire freelancers, virtual assistants, or part-time help to handle tasks outside your expertise or that drain your energy.

• In Marriage: Delegate household tasks. For example, hire a cleaning service or share responsibilities with older kids.

Actionable Tip:

Identify one area in your business and one in your home life that you can delegate this month. Make the change and notice the relief.

The Benefits of Working On Instead of In

When you focus on designing systems, aligning visions, and stepping back regularly, you’ll experience transformative results:

• In Business: Your company will run smoothly, even when you’re not involved in daily operations. This gives you more time to focus on growth and innovation.

• In Marriage: You’ll create a deeper, more intentional connection with your partner, moving beyond routine survival to shared success and joy.

Final Thoughts for Maritalpreneurs

You don’t have to choose between a thriving business and a thriving marriage. By working on these areas instead of getting stuck in them, you’ll achieve balance, clarity, and freedom.

Start small: schedule your first CEO Day or Marriage Retreat. Take one step toward building systems or outsourcing repetitive tasks. Over time, these intentional changes will allow your business and your relationship to grow stronger and more fulfilling than ever.

You’ve got this! After all, the best partnerships (in work and love) are the ones where both partners dream big and build smart—together.