While the divorce rate in California has declined in recent years, some professions may face a greater risk of ending their marriages, even when they initially wanted to stay together forever. While some divorces are caused by issues like abuse or infidelity and other people simply grow apart over time, stress can also be a major contributing factor. When couples face financial and personal stress, the tension can also affect the marital relationship. This is one reason why small business owners in particular have seen a rising rate of divorce over time.
Financial stress for small businesses
For many small business owners, stress is a part of life. Inflation and changes in the workforce can have a greater effect on small businesses than large companies. You may find yourself pouring a larger amount of household funds into the business, and spouses can find themselves at odds about the amount of money that should be dedicated to expanding and protecting the company. Financial differences are a major contributor to divorce for many couples, and small business owners may feel this more acutely.
Competing demands on time
In other cases, even when the business is financially successful, it can still become a point of stress and division. When the business is one spouse’s dream, it can come to occupy their time and energy, leaving little time left over for the relationship. One partner may become more absent from the home or separated from family life due to the demands of keeping the business going. In other cases, the spouse not involved in the business can feel a sort of jealousy over the amount of energy consumed by the company.
Entrepreneurs face stress in many aspects of life, and the marital relationship is not insulated from these concerns. Couples planning to start a small business may consider how it could affect their relationship over the long term in order to protect their work-life balance.