9 Signs You're Being Taken For Granted At Your Job, And It's Seeping Into Other Areas Of Your Life
Your career ambitions may be harming other areas of your life.
Jane Paplash | Unsplash Do you hate every new workweek and feel miserable at the mere thought of your job? One thing that never ceases to amaze is how much a person’s career influences them — and can also start to seep into other areas of your life.
Studies have shown that having specific careers can affect whether you divorce or stay loyal. Your career is often influenced by who you date. Unfortunately, having the wrong job can also destroy your love life. Recognizing the signs that your job is negatively impacting your mental health is the first step toward reclaiming your well-being.
Here are signs you're being taken for granted at your job, and it's seeping into other areas of your life:
1. Your hours are insane
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If you work two full-time jobs, you’re going to have a serious problem keeping a relationship going. Too many work hours will make anyone feel like you’re neglecting them, even if the reason you’re working so hard is them.
2. Your work is causing internal stress
As much as we want to think we can compartmentalize our lives, stress is something that often carries over into other parts of our world. If you feel like you’re about to snap at work, don’t be shocked if you come home to a partner who always feels like they need to walk on eggshells around you.
A job that causes significant internal distress can lead to a range of negative consequences at home, including increased stress, strained relationships, difficulty concentrating, irritability, decreased engagement with family, and even symptoms of depression and anxiety, effectively killing you on the inside by impacting your overall well-being outside of work hours. This phenomenon is often studied under the concept of work-to-home interference.
2024 research found that people vary in their resilience to work stress, with factors like personality, support systems, and coping mechanisms influencing how work impacts their home life.
3. Your job keeps you flat-broke
As much as it pains me to say this, the amount of money you make is directly proportional to the chances you have of finding and keeping someone interested in you. It’s a prejudice that tends to hurt men more than women, but realistically, it’s hard to stay with anyone who is too broke to pull together a nice date once in a while.
4. You’ve had more than one partner complain about your job
I’m very iffy about saying that a complaint about a job is something that you should worry about in a relationship because there are many abusers out there who got their victims to quit good jobs. However, if this is a regular pattern, you may need to think about your career choice.
5. Your job has preemptively advised you to choose it over your partner
If this happens, then the fact is that the job you’re in has killed a lot of relationships. That’s a very bad sign.
Consistently prioritizing your job over your partner can lead to significant negative consequences in your relationship, including decreased relationship satisfaction, increased conflict, feelings of resentment, emotional distress, and potential relationship breakdown.
According to a 2021 study, the constant strain from work-life imbalance can erode the quality of your partnership. Finding a balance between career aspirations and your romantic life is crucial to maintaining healthy relationships.
6. Your work-life balance is way off-kilter
Most of the time, people have a good idea when their job is taking over every little aspect of their life. If you legitimately can’t find time to date people or have a relationship, then the reason you're single is because of your job.
7. Your job or career path is demanding of your spouse, too
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There are certain careers out there that basically require a spouse to act certain ways, dress certain ways, and present themselves in certain ways. If your career requires a trophy spouse or similar, this isn’t something that everyone can handle.
8. Your career forces you to stay away from your partner for long swaths of time
Sorry to say, but this is a love killer. There is, after all, a reason why many military marriages end up in divorce.
Long-distance relationships are very hard on both partners and, after a while, most partnerships end up succumbing to the hassles that come with them.
9. You get so into your job that you’ve forgotten date nights, anniversaries, and birthdays
This is bad. Like, very bad. If you’re that consumed by your work, you may have a serious problem with your priorities and your family life, too.
If it’s gotten this bad, you need to do your partner a favor and break it off. Chances are that you’re married to your career and won’t miss them anyway.
A 2018 study recommended establishing clear boundaries between work and personal life to prevent work from dominating your thoughts and energy. Talking openly with your partner about work-related stress and its impact on your relationships and love life can help build understanding and support.
Ossiana Tepfenhart is a writer whose work has been featured in Yahoo, BRIDES, Your Daily Dish, New Theory Magazine, and others.