Liking a co-worker’s photo on social media. Sending them direct messages. Checking in on Slack more often than before.
Progressively interacting in this way with someone outside your relationship may be no big deal to you. To your significant other, however, it may be microcheating, which some people consider a form of infidelity because it can involve building a bond one heart emoji at a time.
Although pushing the boundaries of what is allowed in a relationship is not a new concept, the issue has become even more common with the rise of remote work, said William Schroeder, a therapist and owner of Just Mind Counselling centres in Austin, in the US state of Texas.
“People are having more digital relationships, so it kind of creates more space for that,” Schroeder said. “In this work-from-home environment, it can happen even easier because it’s real low risk.”
What is microcheating?
A term popularised by Australian psychologist Melanie Schilling, microcheating could be anything short of a physical or emotional relationship if it involves a behaviour you cannot talk about openly with a partner.