History Main / MarriedtoTheJob

* ''Film/AWedding1978'': Jeff, the security chief, drunkenly admits that he has a self-imposed vow of celibacy to avoid distracting himself from his job.

* In TheMovie GrandFinale of ''Radio/OurMissBrooks'', Lawrence Nolan is so focussed on running his newspaper that he neglects his son Gary, most nights leaving him to eat with the servants. Gary becomes moody and resentful, deliberately failing English and becoming disliked by his peers. Connie does a good job diagnoising the problem, and helping set father and son to right. [[spoiler: Lawrence is so taken with Connie he proposes marriage; Connie likes but does not love him, so she declines. Ultimately Connie marries longtime LoveInterest, shy biology teacher Phillip Boynton at film's end.]]

* In ''Film/TheSilenceOfAdultery'', Paul is so busy with his job as a building contractor that he never has time to help with the kids or emotionally support Rachel, leading her to have an affair with the father of one of her students.
* Despite Film/JamesBond's womanizing ways, his loyalties to [=MI6=] always take higher precedent. The deaths of [[spoiler:Tracy]] in ''Film/OnHerMajestysSecretService'' and [[spoiler:Vesper]] in ''Film/CasinoRoyale'' reinforce that he can't have a stable love life.
* In ''Film/{{Superdome}}'', football player Dave Walecki's wife Nancy feels that he's so wrapped up in football and his drug addiction that they live in different worlds. They've had a SexlessMarriage for months.
* ''Film/FortyCarats'': In addition to his immaturity and irresponsibility, actor Billy Boylan is more interested in his work than in his wife or daughter, resulting in the failure of his marriage and an almost nonexistent relationship with his daughter.
* In ''Film/OneTrickPony'', this is why musician Jonah's marriage to Marion fell apart. When he was at home, he was never really present - he kept making phone calls and writing songs. Marion could handle his going on tour, but she couldn't handle the job infiltrating their personal life.
* In ''Film/MagicInTheWater'', psychiatrist Jack takes his kids on vacation but largely ignores them to spend time on the phone or doing research for his book, even though, as his ex-wife points out, he hasn't spent any quality time with them since last summer. He starts spending more time with them after he is briefly possessed by Orky.
* In ''Film/EyesOfLauraMars'', the photographer Laura's ex-husband Michael blames this trope for their divorce. He says, "Where were you when I needed something, when I needed comfort? Where were you? In your darkroom." Laura retorts, "Where else could I find any peace? You were in that bedroom dead drunk!"

* In a 2022 interview, football legend Tom Brady mentioned that one thing not often thought about with pro athletes is that the training, travel and playing schedule means that they routinely miss most if not all birthdays, holidays, and other social obligations that happen to fall from the pre-season through the end of the regular season (or post-season, if you make the playoffs). For the football season, that includes Thanksgiving and Christmas. This can strain relationships.

* Cmdr. Ed Straker from ''Series/{{UFO}}'' destroyed his marriage over building and maintaining SHADO.

* ''VideoGame/Persona4'' deconstructs this with the Protagonist's uncle, [[DaChief Ryotaro Dojima]].After the death of his wife, he has thrown himself into his work and thus leaving his daughter Nanoko to help with the house. It's painfully evident that his absence has hurt Nanoko and the protagonist along with the rest of the team [[EveryonesBabySister look out for her well-being.]] The CharacterDevelopment has Dojima realize that his delving into the work and not being there with his daughter is cowardice after Nanoko runs away when he lets her down. As such, he resolves to be a better father and be there for his daughter. [[spoiler: Ironically, it's only after this does he begin making meaningful process on finding out who killed his wife since part of his reason for being at home was him trying to find out that in the first place.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': When Bart claims that he has a girlfriend, Groundskeeper Willy proclaims that he does too. She's a... [[GirlfriendInCanada bikini model. From Sweden]]. Yep. Right after Bart leaves [[spoiler: she comes out of his shack and asks him to come to bed, to which he replies that she shouldn't try to compete with his job, because she'll never win.]]

* Averted with a fellow named Bernard Chippie, who risked losing his job to tend to his dying wife.

* Averted with a fellow named Bernard Chippi, who risked losing his job to tend to his dying wife.

* Kirk Gibson, manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, sparked controversy when he skipped his son’s high school commencement to be on the field with the team during the game.
* Averted with a fellow named Bernard Chippie. He risked losing his job to tend to his dying wife.

See also {{Salaryman}}, TheMasqueradeWillKillYourDatingLife, {{Workaholic}}, TheChainsOfCommanding, CareerVersusMan, FamilyVersusCareer, WhenYouComingHomeDad, and EternalEmployee. Contrast the CrusadingWidow, who loses his family through more violent means. Such a character may sing a JobSong.

See also {{Salaryman}}, TheMasqueradeWillKillYourDatingLife, {{Workaholic}}, TheChainsOfCommanding, CareerVersusMan, FamilyVersusCareer, WhenYouComingHomeDad, and EternalEmployee. Contrast the CrusadingWidower, who loses his family through more violent means. Such a character may sing a JobSong.

* Leo [=McGarry=]'s divorce in ''Series/TheWestWing'' was a direct result of this trope, as demonstrated in the page quote, and it's implied that Toby Ziegler's marriage ended because of his duties in the White House as well. It's also suggested, however, the devotion required and long hours spent working at the White House took their toll on ''all'' the characters and their relationships to some degree, as almost all of them barring the President and the First Lady were either single or divorced.\\\
Something of a TruthInTelevision, with one possibly significant note; many observers have noted that in RealLife few of the people who hold the positions in the White House that the characters hold remain in them for as ''long'' as the characters hold them, with one of the reasons being this trope; working at the White House for so long tends to result in burn-out.

A TruthInTelevision, as a common complaint these days is that the pursuit of success in climbing the career ladder is causing more people to work longer hours with less time to spend with their loved ones.

* In ''ComicStrip/DykesToWatchOutFor'', Sydney, whilst researching polyamory, has the epiphany that she ''is'' in a polyamorous relationship already--her work is her primary relationship, while Mo is 'the other woman'. This also happens with Clarice and Toni, with Clarice's job as a lawyer almost immediately put a strain on the relationship.

* ''Fanfic/TheMLPLoops'': Literally in 108.19 - Cadance, who was both Unawake and Best Mare, has photos of Shining Armor in a tuxedo and his guard armor in a wedding dress (and is quite upset once she's Awake and discovers this since they're married in baseline). And he ''still'' didn't tell Twilight he was getting married.

* Catherine Willows of ''Series/{{CSI}}'': though she divorced her husband for several reasons, of which this was likely one, it's still a recurring source of drama between her and daughter Lindsey.

* Mac Taylor on ''Series/{{CSINY}}'' became this after his wife died on 9/11. It's often extremely difficult for his colleagues to drag him away for some actual sleep. It lessens, however, as he meets and courts Christine in seasons 8 and 9, and one presumes he'll get even better with marrying her.

* Shogun Yoshimune in ''Manga/{{Ooku}}: The Inner Chambers'' may enjoy sex and have children, but make no mistake, she's too busy ruling a nation to bother with emotional attachments. When she's thinking about the country even during relaxing baths, hunting, and ''childbirth'', it's clear she's this trope.

* Tony Stark and Pepper Potts became the OfficialCouple in ''Film/IronMan2'' and Tony promised to her that he would retire from his job as Iron Man and destroyed all his suits at the end of [[Film/IronMan3 the third movie]]. The events of ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' says otherwise and as expected, [[spoiler:''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' confirmed that Pepper left him]]. However, by [[spoiler: ''Spiderman: Homecoming'', not only are they back together, but Tony ''proposes'' to Pepper.]] In [[spoiler: ''Infinity War'', he actually shares with her a dream he had of them having children, something which is realized by ''Endgame'', with their daughter Morgan and the surprise of Pepper in the Rescue armor. Unfortunately, Tony sacrifices himself to save the universe from Thanos and thus leaves Pepper a widow.]]