Love works: This couple runs their relationship like a business

By Ben Barry via SWNS

Meet the couple who say they run their relationship like a business - and each do their role for set hours of the day.

Cassidy, 27, and Nic, 31, have been together since January and have "roles" which help their relationship run like clockwork.

Cassidy starts to work at 1 pm, so will often wake up at 6 am to prepare for the day.

She makes breakfast, prepares for lunch and checks in with Nic to find out his plans for the day.

When digital marketer Nic finishes work at 5:30pm, he cooks tea, cleans the house and runs Cassidy a bath so she can chill when she returns at 6:30pm.

The pair said establishing roles early on has helped their relationship.

And they happily admit they run it in the same way they operate a business.

"There are two of us now so the workload should decrease for both of us - not increase for one of us"

Cassidy Skelton, a mental health influencer and public speaker from Auckland, NZ, said: "The main focus for our shift work is due to me and Nic both being really passionate about mental health.

"Nic struggles with his in the morning and I struggle with mine at night so the shifts work well to support each other.

"It is lucky as both of us had been single for a year.

"I had to raise my teenage sister so it was just me and my sister. Nic lived on his own so we were both running houses by ourselves.

"When we talked about moving in we talked about what we wanted that to look like.

"We knew there would be two adults involved and the workload should decrease for both of us. It shouldn't increase for one of us.

"Realistically this should be mutually beneficial as we went from running one house each to running one house together."

Cassidy's role is to prepare for the day ahead and Nic's role is to bring the day to a close

After moving in together in February, they set boundaries and roles for the relationship to work.

Cassidy's role is to prepare for the day ahead and Nic's role is to bring the day to a close.

Nic Halezos, 31, from Aukland, NZ, said: "Cassidy runs up until 1pm and then once that 1pm hits, Cassidy is going to work and I take over.

"I start prepping dinner, cleaning the house, making sure the candles are lit and making sure that the house is nice and cosy for when she gets home.

"This enables Cassidy to relax as much as possible when she gets home as I was in the morning.

"We compared the relationship to more of a business. That sounds funny but we have laid out the guidelines to how it is best going to operate."

Cassidy said it's important for couples to set boundaries and talk to each other about their strengths when it comes to chores.

She said: "I love cooking breakfast, cooking somebody breakfast and making lunch. It fills me with joy.

"It is something I naturally like to do. Nic doesn't like doing it so it is a perfect little swap over.

"Nic likes feeling accomplished at the end of the day and he can't relax until the house is clean.

"It is a natural benefit for him to do that. It is about finding things that you are good at ."

CASSIDY'S DAY PLAN:

• Wake up at 6am
• Make breakfast
• Run through their schedules for the day
• Prepare lunch and go to work

NIC'S DAY PLAN:

Takes over responsibilities at 1p.m.

• Cleans the house
• Make dinner
• Light candles
• Runs a bath for Cassidy