Barbara Anthony-Twarog and Bruce Twarog have worked together for 26 years as astronomy professors at Kansas University.

Live together. Work together.

It’s a lifestyle that requires a huge investment in your spouse.

Running a small business or working in the same department at a company can require husband and wife to practically be around each other day and night.

Advice on blogs about marriage and relationships tells couples who work together to be cautious, especially at giving each other their own space.

Separating work and home life can be vital, but as Lawrence couple and Kansas University astronomy professors Bruce Twarog and Barbara Anthony-Twarog tell it, their relationship has flourished as they’ve worked together identifying stars and galaxies at KU for 26 years.

“The simplest thing is we know what it’s like for the other person,” Bruce Twarog says.

They’ve also found their own groove, even allowing work conversations at the dinner table.

“I think we’ve abandoned it pretty early –separating work and family,” Barbara Anthony-Twarog says.

There is a long list of challenges, though, for spouses who work together.

The Twarogs have been through them after decades of marriage, raising two teenage sons and advancing their careers at KU in research and teaching.

“The way in which you disagree has to be a little different because you’re living with that person,” Barbara Twarog says.

For the Twarogs, they do give each other space at work. But it’s also nice to have someone who can substitute easily for you, as a college professor.

“(Students) probably tend to regard us as interchangeable,” Barbara Twarog says.

But that’s not always the best situation, especially for people who work with others, according to Blane and Angela Russell, mortgage brokers who wrote on the blog at www.dotcomwomen.com.

“Students need to be able to know they are talking to one of you and not both of you,” Barbara Twarog says.

So creating your own identity is important, especially when students or co-workers need advice. They might often go to the other spouse to get some insight. The Twarogs keep separate offices at Malott Hall.

“I think there has to be some space,” Barbara Twarog says.

Competition in certain fields can also present obstacles, Bruce Twarog says. So career moves need to be well planned out, or the couple needs to be able to work well together to accept the other person’s success and failures.

“Husbands and wives need to respect each other’s work whether they do the same thing or not,” Barbara Twarog says.

They’ve known graduate students in relationships who come to them for advice. The students often say they aim to marry each other, which is not uncommon in academia, especially the physical sciences.

Her advice might sound simple, but Barbara Twarog says it’s definitely not easy.

“Be sure. Be really sure,” she says.

The Twarogs took a sabbatical during the fall semester away from KU’s Lawrence campus. They were busy in Indiana working on the same research project for several months.

Barbara Twarog says they even shared the same office, which worked out OK.

“But it was a big office,” Bruce Twarog says.