During the COVID-19 pandemic, the massive disruption to everyday life caused many people to re-evaluate how they approached their job. This led to a phenomenon frequently referred to as “quiet quitting.” Employees who take this path don’t immediately send their resignations to their bosses, but check out mentally and stop making the effort to excel at their job.
This might be more than a workplace trend, as many spouses seem to go through the motions with their partners after a number of years together without taking the next step to file for divorce. One description of a quietly quit marriage refers to the spouses as parallel project managers, who share responsibility for their children’s needs, while otherwise handling most other matters on their own.
Signs that husbands and wives are quietly quitting their marriage include the following:
- Headphones — Couples often have different tastes when it comes to entertainment, but when both spouses are spending a significant amount of their time together listening to headphones or earbuds, it might be a signal that communication has broken down.
- Separate quarters — There has been much talk about “sleep divorces” where spouses spend the night in different rooms, ostensibly to improve their rest. While this is not necessarily a sign of a deteriorating marital bond, it might be worth exploring if individual sleeping quarters, man caves, she sheds and habitual retreats to separate screens are masking a significant problem.
- Eating alone — Dinner is often when families have their closest conversations. Busy schedules, increasing reliance on takeout and the choice to eat while watching television or videos can mean that husbands and wives are eating alone.
One of the most common reason why people in stagnant marriages avoid filing for divorce is because they are concerned about the expense and aggravation associated with the legal marriage dissolution process. This should not stop you from seeking new horizons if you are dissatisfied. Bryan L. Salamone & Associates, P.C. is an accomplished New York matrimonial attorney who focuses on delivering simple divorce solutions whenever the circumstances permit.
Instead of angry, costly, time-consuming litigation, you might be able to secure a favorable outcome through skillful negotiation or mediation. Serving clients throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties, our objective is to give people the legal support they need to protect their interests when it is time for something new. For a consultation, please call 631-388-6009 or contact us online.