This recession has put a strain on many couples. If one spouse is working money gets tighter. Of course with the cost of living constantly going up even both if both the husband and wife work they are still struggling to make ends meet.

With those still fortunate enough to have a job they find themselves working harder and longer for the same amount of money. And with the economy being forecast to get a whole lot rougher before things improve many more people will continue to feel the stress.

But even in better times the workplace has been a sore spot for quite a few marriage relationships. Not because of the low pay, bad benefits or rotten boss but because it has shown itself to be a breeding ground for extramarital affairs.

It is estimated that over fifty percent of all extramarital affairs happen in the workplace. There is really no great mystery as to why.

Familiarity may breed contempt but in the office it has a funny way of also breeding temptation. Working together day after day for eight hours or more can change people's perspective. Many of us spend more time with our co workers than our family. That's just the nature of trying to earn a living.

And the nature of humans is that after awhile you start to notice this other person. How they dress, talk and respond to certain situations. They get to know each other and realize that they have some things in common. Or maybe they don't and it comes down to nothing more than the attraction factor. Being together for hours at a time are more than the two of them can handle.

So they go for it. In spite of the office gossip it will create. In fact they could care less because several people in the office are also having an affair.

Unless you are born with a silver spoon, working the j-o-b is one of life's necessities. You cannot be with your spouse 24/7. A healthy relationship requires breathing room. Also with the economy being what it is working longer hours is not uncommon. But if it strikes you that your spouse's attachment to the job is a little out of the ordinary then you may want to pay attention to other things within the marriage relationship.