It could explain why Richard Burton and Liz Taylor didn’t stay together – and may spell trouble for Jay-Z and Beyonce.

Couples who do similar jobs find it harder to maintain a proper work-life balance, a study has found.

Researchers looked at the lives of more than 600 academics, about half of whom had significant others working in the same sector.

They asked what hours they worked, how strong their boundaries were between work and home life, and how often one sphere affected the other.

The team found that those with a so-called ‘work-linked’ partner tended to struggle more to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

They also typically worked longer hours.

Study leader Professor Gail Kinman, of the University of Bedfordshire, said an ‘increasing number of couples’ have similar occupations – a situation that is ‘particularly common’ in education.

She added: ‘The findings suggest that doing similar work to your partner means that work issues are more likely to “spill over” into home life and threaten work-life balance.

‘Evidence was also found that having a partner who does similar work can be beneficial, as this can enhance mutual understanding of working conditions and increase support during stressful times.

‘Nonetheless, the findings suggest that work-linked couples may need more support to help them set boundaries between work and home.’

The study will be presented today at the annual conference for the British Psychological Society’s Division of Occupational Psychology, in Chester.
这可以解释为什么理查德•伯顿和伊丽莎白•泰勒没能在一起，也许还预示着杰斯和碧昂斯面临的麻烦。

研究发现，做相近工作的夫妻更难以维持工作和生活的平衡。

研究人员调查了600多位大学教师的生活，半数教师的另一半在同一领域工作。

研究人员询问了他们工作的时间，工作和家庭生活间界限是否分明，以及工作和家庭生活是否经常相互影响。

研究小组发现，“工作相连”的夫妻往往更难以维持工作与生活的良性平衡。

他们的工作时间通常也更长。

该研究的领头人、贝德福德大学的盖尔•金曼教授说，越来越多的夫妻有相同的职业——在教育领域这一现象“尤为普遍”。

她补充道：“这一发现表明，和伴侣工作相近意味着工作话题更有可能‘外溢’到家庭生活中，威胁工作与生活的平衡。”

“也有证据表明另一半是同行也是有益的，因为这会增进双方对工作环境的相互了解，在有压力的时候给予支持。”

“然而，研究结果也表明同行夫妻或许需要更多的支持，来帮助他们在工作和家庭之间设定界限。”

这一研究结果将于今日在切斯特举行的英国心理学协会职业心理学部年会上展示。

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