Having troubles coping up without your partner who travels regularly for work? Read this article to find out how you can do so without any trouble!
Your partner is doing a fantastic job. They appreciate what they do and have the opportunity to travel regularly, which is fantastic until you realize it’s not always ideal when you’re the one left at home. When your partner travels for work, it can be difficult for your relationship, your children, and you. It’s difficult to be left at home alone, whether they’ve gone for one night a month or six months a year. It adds to your stress level. Work travel, like most things in life, cannot always be avoided. Here is some advice which can help you cope up with a partner who travels very often.
You will Need to Act as a Single Parent While They’re Away
I know that you are not a single parent. But when your partner is away and you’re left at home alone with the kids, you will definitely feel like one. You’re suddenly in charge of taking care of everything. But if you’re facing issues keeping up everything, you may need to make some changes to your routine. Those changes should be:
- You should get up before your children. When your partner is away on business, you must be at the top of your game. Getting up before your children will give you just the right amount of time to get everyone ready for the rest of the day. It will also give you some me-time before your children need you.
- You should consider hiring a babysitter or seeking assistance from a family member. You might not “need” to hire a babysitter. However, if your partner is away for a longer period, seeking help from a sitter, family member, or friend who can come in to play with your children while you go shopping alone may save you from some stress. Your sanity may be saved by the extra support.
- As soon as possible, retire to your bed. By the end of the day, everyone is a bit irritable. You may minimize tension and potential nighttime outbursts by starting bedtime early. You’ll get enough time to get everyone to sleep before it’s too late if you plan ahead. Additionally, putting your children to bed on time allows you to spend more time with yourself.
- When your partner travels, you are not the only one who misses them. Try to contact your partner while they are on the road whenever possible. This could include a quick video chat with your children and partner right before they go to bed. If your partner is unable to communicate while they’re away, have them leave notes or special treats for the kids to be scattered at random while they are away.
Stick to Cooking Easy Dinners
If you want to gift a memorable experience to your travel loving partner, try cooking his or her favorite dishes. Cooking while your partner is away on business, whether you have children or not, can be a pain. So you can stock up on freezer meals. Make a budget line item for ordering in when your partner is away. I know it’s difficult for any of us to imagine our partner out having fun and eating at delicious restaurants while we’re making peanut butter sandwiches for the third day in a row on your couch. Therefore, preparing simple, kid-friendly dinners ahead of time will only make your life easier.
How You Can Protect Your Relationship
One of the most difficult parts of having a partner who travels is that your relationship might suffer if you are not careful enough. There are a few thoughtful expressions of love you can show to your partner to keep your relationship secure while your better half is on a business trip. And I don`t mean fancy gifts or big and expensive gestures by thoughtful expressions of love. Those could be:
- Things should be discussed beforehand. How long will your significant other be gone? What is the need for their journey? What are they going to do? What are your expectations for each other during the trip? Having all of the information will assist the non-traveling partner in getting on board and remaining on board during work trips.
- Make rituals for yourself. Perhaps that means saying goodbye to him before he departs, regardless of when that is. Maybe you should leave love notes in their luggage. He may bring you and your children gifts or small tokens. Make such rituals that will aid in the transition to and from the trip as a group.
- Communicate every day, even if only for ten minutes, because you both need that time to connect with each other and discuss what’s going on on both sides of the marriage.
You Should Take Care of Yourself
It is difficult to be the partner of someone who frequently travels for work. In fact, spouses of people who travel frequently for work are more stressed. Self-care is an essential part of coping. However, the only way you can cope with this scenario is by taking care of yourself and keeping yourself happy because only then can you keep others around you happy. You can do so by:
- You should socialize. Arrange a playdate with a child-friendly friend. Take your best friends out to lunch. Make an effort to leave the house and engage in conversation with someone.
- Consider your alone time as a positive thing in your life. You are not required to share the television with anyone, and you are free to work on whatever projects you wish. You might even get around to reading that book you’ve been meaning to read.
- When they get home, they should be able to escape all sorts of stress. When your partner gets home, the last thing they want to do is deal with the kids by themselves. However, spending time with the children is beneficial. It’s also a good idea to spend some extra time sleeping in or going out on your own.
- Use reward points to your advantage. In most cases, your partner will be able to earn reward points for their travel. When they accumulate enough points, you can use them for family vacations or even accompany them on a trip to a destination you’ve always wanted to visit.
Final Thoughts
Having a partner who frequently travels for work is not always easy. There are, thankfully, ways to deal with the challenges of a traveling companion so that you, your relationship, and your family do not suffer as a result of all that travel. I hope this article gives you clear insights to deal with those challenges. Good luck!