For most people, they often present themselves differently whenever they are in an office setting, putting on their “work mode” mask to talk to their colleagues and clients. Those who are a bubbly, laidback kind of person at home suddenly transforms into a strict, no-mediocre professional guy at work who probably uses cringe-worthy corporate jargon.
This is a side of ourselves that sometimes not even our family and friends outside of work get to see. And due to global pandemic, couples who are under quarantine and working together at home are now finding out about their partner’s “disorienting” work persona.
On Twitter, InStyle Deputy Editor Laura Norkin shared about hearing her partner in “full work mode for the first time” and it started a thread of people finding out about their partner’s professional quirks while working from home.
A funny thing about quarantining is hearing your partner in full work mode for the first time. Like, I’m married to a “let’s circle back” guy — who knew?
— Laura Norkin (@inLaurasWords) March 19, 2020
I’m married to “just to clarify”
— Weary Black Woman (@marcela_ajua) March 19, 2020
Some are thrilled to find a different “version” of their partners, while some are having a hard time recognizing the person they got married to.
The first time I saw Work Husband I was thrilled to find he was a “I don’t think Laura was done speaking” guy.
— Leslie J. Anderson (@inkhat) March 20, 2020
Hearing my wife teach middle schoolers in the other room. She’s amazing.
— Mark Daley (@markedaley) March 19, 2020
Mine said “why don’t we table that and revisit it in a couple days… “Who the fuck is he? We’ve never tabled a damn thing and revisited anything in our entire 36 year marriage!
— Ann Smith (@HautAnnie) March 19, 2020
My partner is laid back and chilled about everything, never has much of an opinion or argument, but apparently at work he's super competent and speaks up and gets things done. It's very disorienting.
— Rachy (@RachyNewin) March 19, 2020
This Twitter user who was shocked about being married to a “one more question person” even got another surprise from his wife.
My wife works from home full-time, but I remember the day I realized she was the "one more question" person at the end of meetings. I was shook.
— Steven Lancaster (@SLLancaster) March 19, 2020
One more question though: did you remember your wife follows you on Twitter? 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/RurX6knbwS
— Kit Lancaster (@k10lancaster) March 19, 2020
Others also shared about their partner’s “hidden skills” like working their way around a “small talk” and using a “work voice”.
Turns out my husband can actually small talk, just not with anyone we know in non-work life.
— Dr Jacqueline Sievert Hardt (@JM_Sievert) March 19, 2020
It's a mask that the need to earn a living forces us to wear.
— The JBX (@JimbauxsJournal) March 19, 2020
My husband has a work voice! I can always tell when he’s on a work call because his voice is louder and deeper.
Also he takes most of his calls in our master closet like he’s some sort of home podcaster looking for silence.
— Monica (@MDinCLT) March 19, 2020
Who knows, your partner might be that co-worker who puts together all the cringe-worthy corporate or email phrases he knows while discussing in a meeting or sending a project brief to sound more professional.
I was once in a meeting with a corporate bro who said “let me take a moment to curate the space” (he meant supply context for the meeting) and now I’m wondering if his spouse has already decided on divorce or giving it a few more days
— MayorOfDunningKrugerville (@SarahKayLeon) March 19, 2020
But really, I appreciate the thought partnership and synergy of this team. I’ll be out of pocket for a bit but let’s circle back offline about this.
— JustLetTheWomenFixIt (@calypsoswit) March 19, 2020
So what’s the funniest or most shocking thing you discovered about your partner while seeing him/her work from home? Here’s to hoping they won’t turn out to be a “per our last argument” kind of person!
