Can you work successfully with your difficult spouse on a home business?

I find it very hard to work with my wife on a little business project we have. She takes it too seriously, and just won't lighten up. Then if I don't support her, she attacks me or uses it to say our marriage is poor - seperate issue in my mind. I just feel if we are not on the same page, how can the business grow? We both work full time and must make time for our home life and personal interests, but she is set on having a shop even though we do not have the money. My question is - is it better to not work together if it puts too big a strain on the marriage? Will she accept it if I say I have had enough of the backbiting and belittling? Or...how can I make this work?

Any relationship is based on effective communication and that is what is needed in your case. If you are into going for walks then you should take her out for a short walk and talk out thing in a gentle way. It helps sometimes to talk things over outside home in a different yet refreshing surroundings. You both have the goal to make your business work for you guys so explain to her that you both need to approach it wisely and with fresh minds. If she agrees great, if not you should both decide to put it to a halt at least for some time and come back to it when you can both communicate on the subject effectively and without being nasty to each other. All the best!

Working together can be great IF you work together! I recommend dividing up the responsibilities and just tell her that you don't take it as serious as she does and not to make you feel bad about it. she probably wonders why you don't work as hard as she does... Report It

I think you & your wife have already demonstrated that it isn't working. Don't continue; it isn't worth losing a marriage over. Don't use personal attacks. Just sit down & say that you have different styles which aren't compatible & that your marriage is more important to you than the business & what it is doing to you. You can't continue with the situation as it is and, therefore, you would like to close up shop.

Doesn't sound like a good idea working with her, seems that the whole situation is causing you stress instead of being able to enjoy working from home.