My wife, and business partner, is a stellar Executive Assistant, but she is NOT my Executive Assistant!
Maybe that comes as a surprise, but I think it’s a smart play.
Over the past few months I’ve had several conversations that go something like this,
“Right now my wife (or significant other, AKA S.O.) is doing all of this administrative work for me, but we’re learning that’s not a good long-term plan.”
But why?
It sets your S.O. up to be your professional subordinate and that’s not a good dynamic for either of you.
Imagine a typical workday scenario:
You need your EA to review an important document, and suddenly you find yourselves in a heated debate about semicolons versus em dashes. 📝🤔
Things can quickly escalate from a grammar disagreement to a full-blown domestic dispute, leaving you wondering how it all got so complicated. 🤷♀️💥
Let’s not forget about the ever-elusive work-life balance. Having your S.O. as your EA might blur the lines between personal and professional life to the point where you can’t remember the last time you had a non-work-related conversation. 💼
Date nights turn into progress updates, and pillow talk becomes work-related performance reviews. 😬
It’s like living in an episode of “The Office” but without the laugh track. 😂📺
Of course, some couples might make the S.O.-EA combo work seamlessly.
But for the majority of us normal people, maintaining a healthy work-life balance and preserving the magic of our personal relationships often necessitates keeping our S.O.s out of our daily task needs. 💑❤️
So, as tempting as it may be to have your love interest as your EA, remember the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between love and work.
Allow your S.O. to support you in other ways, outside the confines of a working relationship. Together, you can build a strong foundation of love and understanding, while leaving the tasks to the professionals. 😄🏢
-Micah Foster, Co-Owner