cipate having a changed work schedule.

_ We've discussed how our long-term financial and professional goals might be affected by this change.

_ We've discussed our plans for having (more) children and how we would adjust to that situation.

_ We've discussed expectations and changes related to household roles (e.g., housework, child care, bill paying, etc.).

_ I've shared my completed flexible work propo

"You want to do what?"

Uh-oh. Getting some signs that your husband may not be thrilled with your decision to work fewer hours?

If you're married, your decision to change to less than full-time work is not an independent one. As with your boss, there's some convincing to do.

But at home, unlike at work, you have the advantage of intimacy and discussion over time.

Let your husband express personal opinions, concerns, and ideas about your plan. This communication process can help you develop the support you'll need for ongoing success.

Use this checklist to guide you in your discussions together.

_ We've discussed how the quality of our family life is affected by our hectic and/or materialistic lifestyle.

_ We've discussed what we would like to improve in our marriage and family life.

_ We've discussed each of our goals and roles in fulfilling that vision for our family life.

_ I've explained to my husband how my working fewer hours outside the home would enhance our marriage and family life.

_ I've told my spouse about WorkOptions.com as a resource for helping us meet our family goals.

_ We've discussed the shift in priorities that may be necessary as we make financial adjustments.

_ We've discussed how to deal with any power shift that may come with one of us bringing in less income.

_ We've worked out a household budget and spending plan that we both can agree to.

_ We've discussed whether or not my husband might feel added pressures as the only full-time worker and how we might deal with it.

_ We've discussed the benefits and advantages of reducing my work schedule.

_ We've discussed how long I anticipate having a changed work schedule.

_ We've discussed how our long-term financial and professional goals might be affected by this change.

_ We've discussed our plans for having (more) children and how we would adjust to that situation.

_ We've discussed expectations and changes related to household roles (e.g., housework, child care, bill paying, etc.).

_ I've shared my completed flexible work propos

s, concerns, and ideas about your plan. This communication process can help you develop the support you'll need for ongoing success.

Use this checklist to guide you in your discussions together.

_ We've discussed how the quality of our family life is affected by our hectic and/or materialistic lifestyle.

_ We've discussed what we would like to improve in our marriage and family life.

_ We've discussed each of our goals and roles in fulfilling that vision for our family life.

_ I've explained to my husband how my working fewer hours outside the home would enhance our marriage and family life.

_ I've told my spouse about WorkOptions.com as a resource for helping us meet our family goals.

_ We've discussed the shift in priorities that may be necessary as we make financial adjustments.

_ We've discussed how to deal with any power shift that may come with one of us bringing in less income.

_ We've worked out a household budget and spending plan that we both can agree to.

_ We've discussed whether or not my husband might feel added pressures as the only full-time worker and how we might deal with it.

_ We've discussed the benefits and advantages of reducing my work schedule.

_ We've discussed how long I anticipate having a changed work schedule.

_ We've discussed how our long-term financial and professional goals might be affected by this change.

_ We've discussed our plans for having (more) children and how we would adjust to that situation.

_ We've discussed expectations and changes related to household roles (e.g., housework, child care, bill paying, etc.).

_ I've shared my completed flexible work propo

ch of our goals and roles in fulfilling that vision for our family life.

_ I've explained to my husband how my working fewer hours outside the home would enhance our marriage and family life.

_ I've told my spouse about WorkOptions.com as a resource for helping us meet our family goals.

_ We've discussed the shift in priorities that may be necessary as we make financial adjustments.

_ We've discussed how to deal with any power shift that may come with one of us bringing in less income.

_ We've worked out a household budget and spending plan that we both can agree to.

_ We've discussed whether or not my husband might feel added pressures as the only full-time worker and how we might deal with it.

_ We've discussed the benefits and advantages of reducing my work schedule.

_ We've discussed how long I anticipate having a changed work schedule.

_ We've discussed how our long-term financial and professional goals might be affected by this change.

_ We've discussed our plans for having (more) children and how we would adjust to that situation.

_ We've discussed expectations and changes related to household roles (e.g., housework, child care, bill paying, etc.).

_ I've shared my completed flexible work propo

to deal with any power shift that may come with one of us bringing in less income.

_ We've worked out a household budget and spending plan that we both can agree to.

_ We've discussed whether or not my husband might feel added pressures as the only full-time worker and how we might deal with it.

_ We've discussed the benefits and advantages of reducing my work schedule.

_ We've discussed how long I anticipate having a changed work schedule.

_ We've discussed how our long-term financial and professional goals might be affected by this change.

_ We've discussed our plans for having (more) children and how we would adjust to that situation.

_ We've discussed expectations and changes related to household roles (e.g., housework, child care, bill paying, etc.).

_ I've shared my completed flexible work propo

cipate having a changed work schedule.

_ We've discussed how our long-term financial and professional goals might be affected by this change.

_ We've discussed our plans for having (more) children and how we would adjust to that situation.

_ We've discussed expectations and changes related to household roles (e.g., housework, child care, bill paying, etc.).

_ I've shared my completed flexible work proposal with my husband as a way to demonstrate how I've carefully worked out a plan.

_ To reach mutually agreeable terms, we've made modifications to my plan based on our discussions.

_ We've translated the my plan and proposal into a time line that we both agree upon.

_ We are both committed to doing our best to make the plan and proposal work.

As in any goal, mutual support between marriage partners can help make a flexible work arrangement successful.