I've met a lot of people in the design industry who's sharing their life with another designer. Me, I've met my lover in 2005 and we decided with 3 other fellow friends, to start our own agency the next year. So it's been over 9 years that we not only live and work together, but also have the same job title, the same status and the same salary.
Regularly, people ask us how do we manage it, or at least, how do we keep doing it. Sometimes because it's way far from what they think possible for them, sometimes because they want to try it. Most of the time, I just shrug my shoulders and say "At the time the decision made sence and now things being what they are...".
The real answer is a little bit complicated than that and I want to share with you some of the guiding principles we're trying to follow everyday:
1/ Make a pact that if one of us couldn't stand the situation anymore, we'll figure out another way.
2/ Don't try to separate our work from our personal life - it's impossible - but try to organize moments when we can both completely disconnect.
3/ Always keep the dialogue open between us.
4/ Try to make things individually and (re)focus on our personal goals.
5/ Don't think situation is cast in stone, each one of us has the right to evolve!
In other words, we take what's good and make it sustainable!
Photo: In french, "Pretty things are made with a lot of love and patience".