Steps to Take If Quarantining Is Straining Your Marriage

How to Make Sure Your Marriage Survives the COVID-19 Quarantine and the Need For a Divorce Attorney

Marriage is rarely easy and requires spouses to work at it to ensure that the union thrives and survives. In the U.S., the average length of a marriage is approximately eight years, which means to remain together for a longer period of time a continual effort is needed. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has put a strain on many marriages because of  heightened stress and complications of the quarantine, which is why it is currently important to take additional steps to ensure your marriage survives and doesn’t need the services of a divorce attorney.

How the COVID-19 Quarantine Might Cause Issues in a Marriage

While some couples will enjoy the closeness of quarantine, having to spend nearly 24/7 with your spouse might prove to put an even larger strain on your marriage. If you were having issues in your marriage before the COVID-19 pandemic, they may be amplified as you attempt to navigate this unique situation.

Before the imposed quarantine, you were able to find personal space when needed, which may have allowed marital disagreements and issues to diminish in importance. Now that the quarantine is required, it can be much more difficult for spouses to get their space and destress in ways that might help to diffuse an argument or disagreement.

Quarantining has also placed a strain on many marriages because of other problems that have been brought about by the virus. For instance, if one or both spouses have lost their jobs because of the pandemic, financial strain might occur, which could compound issues for a couple. Whereas, in the past, many spouses have gone to the movies, visited friends or worked out at the gym to find solace and keep stress at bay, with the quarantine in place, this isn’t possible.

Things You Can Do to Reduce the Strain on Your Marriage

Even though you may be required to quarantine while the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, there are still many things that you can do to reduce the amount of stress on your marriage. Open communication is even more important now. When something is bothering you, it is essential that you communicate with your spouse. By keeping issues unspoken, the resentment and frustration will likely increase, and could worsen any strain in the marriage. Communicating about marital problems is the only way to overcome them.

While a quarantine means that you will need to stay in your home for a significant period, you can still take a bath, take a walk or go into another room to read a book, which will allow you to get some time to yourself. Even though quarantining makes it difficult to spend time with friends and other family members, video chats and phone calls are great ways to connect with these individuals to add some variety to your day-to-day life. By taking short breaks away from your spouse, you will have some time to destress and focus on yourself.

Keep in mind, it is important that you communicate with your spouse about the reasoning for breaks that you would like to take. Spending time by yourself makes perfect sense during a quarantine and your spouse will most likely want to take breaks him or herself. If you are open about your feelings in this it can lead to less misunderstanding or hurt feelings.

Another great way to reduce some of the strain on a marriage due to quarantining is to be more understanding with your spouse. Frustrations and stresses are more common and serious during a pandemic when so many aspects of everyday life has changed. When your spouse becomes particularly frustrated or angry, keep in mind that these emotions are somewhat more accentuated because of the pandemic. If you respond with anger, it may cause resentment to build, which may cause the strain on your marriage to seem insurmountable.

If your marriage has seemingly reached a breaking point during the quarantine, it may be useful to consider marriage counseling and therapy, which can be provided through video chatting or by phone. The counselor you speak with may be able to help you and your spouse set boundaries within your own home that will alleviate some of the stress that has recently been placed on your marriage.

When taking these tips and suggestions into account, it’s important to understand that every marriage is different. What works for one couple may be completely ineffective for another. Above all, communication is highly important. Understanding that you are both in the same boat and want to get through a tough time together helps.

When to Seek the Assistance of a divorce attorney at Lawrence Law

No matter what steps you take to reduce strain that has been placed on your marriage, there are times when it may not be possible to save the marriage. In this situation, you should retain the services of a family law attorney who can help you through this situation. Here at Lawrence Law, we provide comprehensive representation for all kinds of situations. Our goal is to help each of our clients get through the emotional divorce process efficiently. Divorces can be complicated, which is why you should have a divorce attorney by your side who understands all the legal factors that are involved.

For instance, we can help you determine if the divorce is contested or uncontested. While an uncontested divorce is preferable, a contested divorce may be needed to ensure that each party receives an equitable share of the marital assets and reasonable support. No matter how simple your divorce is, there will invariably be a significant amount of paperwork to fill out and process. At Lawrence Law, we can handle all this paperwork for you to ensure that everything is filled out correctly and there are no errors when it is filed. Keep in mind that Lawrence Law can also help you navigate any custody issues that may be present between you and your spouse. Despite the complexities involved with getting a divorce, we aim to streamline the process and make it easy to understand and to ensure that you receive all you are entitled to.

Regardless of how strong a marriage may seem, quarantining during COVID-19 can put a strain on any relationship. While there are many steps that you can take to reduce the strain present in your marriage, resolving marital problems is rarely easy. It is possible that the only option is to get a divorce, which is when you should speak with a divorce attorney. If you are currently thinking about ending your marriage, call Jeralyn Lawrence at Lawrence Law today at (908) 645-1000 to schedule your first appointment.