When you talk to people who have a strong career focus, they’ll often say that they’re doing it for their family. They’re trying to provide for that family. All of those 80-hour weeks at the office are simply because they care about their spouse and their children so much.
And this may be true, but it’s worth noting that those who are very career-focused may have a higher chance of getting divorced. Let’s look at a couple of the reasons why this may happen.
More time apart
One of the biggest reasons is simply that these individuals may have to spend a lot of time apart. For example, one study looked at specific occupations that lead to higher divorce rates. Four of the different examples, including the number one profession, were all linked to the military.
This isn’t to say that there’s anything wrong with having a career in the military, but you simply have to acknowledge the fact that a military career means spending more time apart from your spouse. You may need to be deployed to another country, you may have to spend time in training on various bases across the United States and you may have to move often. All of this takes a toll, and it means that members of the military are one of the groups at the highest risk of divorce.
A difference in priorities
Similarly, people often find that a career focus stresses their relationship because they need to prioritize one or the other. If you spent a lot of time with your significant other when you were dating but now you spend all of your time at the office, your spouse may feel like the relationship has inherently changed forever. This isn’t what they thought it would be like when they agreed to marry you, and they may not be happy.
Again, this doesn’t mean that being focused on your career is a bad thing. But if you’re being asked to prioritize between your spouse and your career, picking your career could end the marriage.
If you do end up facing a divorce, especially with a lot of assets on the line, be sure you know what legal steps to take.