Do both you and your partner hate cleaning the bathrooms? Instead of fighting with your spouse about who’s doing what (or who’s not doing what), a maid could be the answer—and, according to recent studies, might even save you from divorce.
Spend on time-savers, not stuff
To committed DIYers, hiring a maid is a waste. You might even feel insulted by the implication that your cleaning isn’t good enough. Or perhaps you don’t want to give the impression that you can’t handle your responsibilities.
If so, you might consider rethinking your approach. New research suggests you could be happier if you pay other people to do the tasks you dread. So it’s fine if you truly do enjoy household chores, but if you don’t, getting some help will reduce stress about the limited time you have in a day, and arguably create greater overall satisfaction in life.
Apply this logic to marriage, and a small investment could eliminate the same-old arguments about whose turn it is to mop the floor, change the sheets, or scour the tub.
Giving yourself a break
As a recent Avvo relationship study found, sharing the housework is one path to marital bliss. Adults feel stretched in all directions and finding room to satisfy every area of your life is not easy. Paying someone else potentially leaves more room for you to date your spouse, play with the kids, and do something for yourself.
Furthermore, trying to do all the housework yourselves can be a major strain on your relationship. Millennials especially (57%) would be unhappy in a marriage where they did more than half of the housework. Unresolved frustration and resentment can be deadly for a marriage. You can buy your way out of a household chore if money allows, but buying your way out of a marriage is a rather more expensive proposition.
So if you’re thinking of giving your partner a gift they’ll really enjoy—and give your relationship a boost along the way—maybe skip the flowers and go with 12 months of a professionally cleaned house instead.
