Photo: economist.com

Having a good marriage is not just important for you and your family, it’s crucial to your career.  And before you can realize the full extent of this simple realization, picture having three departmental meetings, a sick child at school, and another one preparing for an evening recital, on the same exact day, within the same exact 24 hours. Yes…

Granted combining two human beings in the same matrimonial arrangement (not to mention the same geographic space) is nothing short of a miracle, not putting forth the effort to keeping your marriage together will take it from miracle to sheer disaster. Among the casualties of a failed marriage, divorce or separation, is the shiny, glorious career you’ve been working so long for…And with that, please start bidding farewell to job relocations, somewhat lenghthy commutes, happy hours or occasional late nights at work…

Of course, there are those “unreconcilable differences” that are truly irreconcilable, and warrant splitting addresses and beds. Yet, there also are those “irreconcilable differences” that can be reconciled with some goodwill sprinkled with a strong determination not to enrich some random divorce lawyer or becoming a single parent for the rest of your foreseeable youth.

Truth is, your partner may be a giant pain in the behind, but unless you have a genuine desire to mix his shampoo with shaving cream or serve him laxative for the rest of his days, stick with him, her or heck, whoever you may believe they are.

And if they can pick up the kids while you’re stuck in that quarterly meeting, even better. If they can read instructions on how to microwave instant Mac and cheese for those nights when you didn’t cook (or grocery shop for that matter), be glad. And if, only if, you’ve found the One who supports you when you strive for your career and tells you you’re the best mom when you’ve obviously forgotten the baby at home and driven past the street corner singing to an empty car seat, keep him!

The Corporate Sis.