[dsmith]

Anyone else here work with their spouse? I do. In many ways it is the ideal set up. After a career of performing horribly at each job (either from combativeness, lack of productivity, etc), I finally decided that - for the foreseeable future - there was no way I would be able to perform in a 9-to-5 setting.

So my wife started a venture, and I became a charity case. She had some menial tasks to throw my way, and I needed a way to occupy my time.

Slowly my role became a bit more substantial. Now I am (knock on wood) in a good spot task-wise. I "handle" marketing - social media, video content, etc. It's pretty brainless work and I really don't have to interact much with others.

The one thing that has really been driving me batty lately, though, has been my annoyance with every word / activity of my spouse. Every conversation, every guffaw, every "how are you?" that she has on the phone, all day long. It's almost as if she knows I'm annoyed and takes it up a notch.

Did anyone here see "Office Space?" Remember that scene where Peter Gibbons sits at his cubicle and suffers endlessly when the receptionist mindlessly and endlessly repeats "Corporate Accounts Payable, Nina Speaking. Just a Moment"? That's what I feel like; ready to scream 24/7.
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A lot of this is due to the extreme irritability that comes with having Bipolar disorder. It's driving me up the wall. I should go to a coffee shop, or the office. Problem is, at the office it's 10 times worse.

Well - I am eternally grateful that at least I have this opportunity that is mindless, but keeps me from sitting around. It doesn't pay, but hopefully it will bring us something eventually.

[yellow_fleurs]

Do you work in the same room? Is there any way around this like setting up offices in different rooms? Or the coffee shop could be a good idea. Any time I am around someone too much I can find myself getting annoyed and needing space. We all have annoying quirks, myself included. Also, maybe some headphones so you don't have to hear her conversations so much could be useful?

[Moose72]

Did anyone here see "Office Space?" Remember that scene where Peter Gibbons sits at his cubicle and suffers endlessly when the receptionist mindlessly and endlessly repeats "Corporate Accounts Payable, Nina Speaking. Just a Moment"? That's what I feel like; ready to scream 24/7.

Yes! I just watched this movie (again) last night. Its one of my favorites. So its time to go to Chotchkies huh?

I saw Office Space a long time ago, but only really remember the guy with the stapler. Anyway, what came to my mind was to suggest that you ask for set "check in times". IOW, no other times, unless there is a real urgent issue. Perhaps if your wife needs many check-in times, you could consider requesting that you initiate the reports of how you are doing rather than giving her the chance to ask that dreaded question that's irking you.

I do hope that your job together ends at a certain time of day. I think it can be bad when works bleeds into home life. I think strict limits are good in cases where you work with an SO, or anyone really close to you. Even a friend.

I adore my husband of 21+ years, but when we have to cooperate on projects we've also had some friction build. Time has helped both of us learn how to cope with the friction. We've both become more tolerant of it, too. Some things, however, we just have to do one our own. There are clearly things that my husband excels at that I don't, and vice versa. And yet, the other may still have opinions on performance. Sometimes, checking in about certain things is a bad idea. As long as a task gets down and is effective, it may be good that the other person stays out of it completely.

Is there any room in what you are doing (or could be doing) for creativity and extra initiative? That may help you enjoy the tasks a little more.