Carrying the majority of the emotional labor in your relationship?

Experts share examples of emotional labor and how to set boundaries.

But what is emotional labor?

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Emotional laboror working to manage your emotions to meet another persons needsis not inherently bad or overwhelming.

So, how do you know if youre carrying too much of the emotional labor in your relationships?

What is emotional labor in relationships?

Two people’s legs touch under a table as they work on their laptops.

A licensed therapist in New York, New Jersey, and Maryland who specializes in anxiety, depression, and trauma.

What are examples of emotional labor in relationships?

It goes to show that some of the best acts of emotional labor dont feel laborious at all.

Of course, showing up for your partner(s) requires an understanding of their needs.

Books on grief are seen floating against a backdrop of clouds.

Resentment or frustration

Were all annoyed with our loved ones from time to time.

But if you find yourself annoyed or frustrated more often than not, resentment is likely to be blamed.

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2.

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Unwelcome emotions are often a sign that more communication is needed.

Responsibilitiesboth literal and symbolicshould fall evenly on all partners.

What is the difference between emotional intelligence and emotional labor?

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A licensed therapist in New York, New Jersey, and Maryland who specializes in anxiety, depression, and trauma.

What is weaponized incompetence in relationships?

Sometimes people truly lack the skills the execute a job correctly.

Massey offers the below tips to balance out the emotional labor in your relationships.

Michelle Monaghan, Carrie Coon, and Leslie Bibb in The White Lotus, symbolizing toxic friendships.

Recognize and acknowledge efforts

Positive reinforcement is the name of the game here.

Its also important to remember that nobodys perfecttry your best to reward progress, rather than shaming setbacks.

This is especially true when it comes to home maintenance or childcare.

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This is whyits important to set healthy boundaries.

Id appreciate if you could do the dishes tonight, and Ill do the dishes tomorrow.

Seek outside support

Balancing emotional labor is a tough task.

Courtesy Berkley Publishing

As always, it all depends on your specific needs and desired areas of growth.

Sharing the emotional labor of a relationship can be a daunting task.

Inzlicht, Michael, et al.

Integrating Models of Self-Regulation.Annual Review of Psychology, vol.

1, 4 Jan. 2021, pp.

319345, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-061020-105721.

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