Nothing about being a woman is easy. In fact, it’s difficult for us to even get out of bed in the morning, let alone go through the process of attempting to make it seem like we have it all together. It’s a rough world out there. So below we’ve listed some comic strips from the illustrator Cassandra Calin to make light of how difficult being a woman really is.
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Last Updated on October 17, 2019
Sylvia SmithSylvia is a big believer in living consciously and encourages couples to adopt its principles in their relationships. Read full profile
You see your partner every single day. They are the first person you talk to in the morning and the last person you kiss goodnight.
But does seeing each other day in and day out equal a healthy relationship? Not necessarily.
Spending quality time with your partner is the best way to ensure your relationship stays healthy and strong. This means going above and beyond sitting together while you watch Netflix or going out for the occasional dinner. You deserve more from your relationship – and so does your spouse!
What does quality time mean? It means spending time with your spouse without interruption. It’s a chance for you to come together and talk. Communication will build emotional intimacy and trust.
Quality time is also about expressing love in a physical way. Not sex, necessarily (but that’s great, too!) but through hand-holding, cuddling, caressing, and tickling. Studies show that these displays of affection will boost partner satisfaction.[1]
So how do you spend quality time with your partner? Here are 13 relationship tips on making the most out of your time with your partner.
If you want a healthy relationship, you have to learn how to recognize the signs that you need to spend more quality time together.
Some telltale signs include:
If you are experiencing any of these relationship symptoms, know that quality time together can reverse the negative effects of the signs above.
Have you ever wanted to learn how to play an instrument or speak another language? How about skydive or ballroom dance?
Instead of viewing these as solo hobbies and interests, why not involve your partner?
Trying new activities together builds healthy relationships because it encourages spouses to rely on one another for emotional and physical support.
Shared hobbies also promote marital friendship, and the Journal of Happiness Studies found that marital satisfaction was twice as high for couples who viewed each other as best friends.[2]
Your phone is a great way to listen to music, watch videos, and keep up-to-date with friends and family. But is your phone good for your relationship?
Many couples phone snub, or ‘phub’, one another. Studies show that phubbing can lower relationship satisfaction and increase one’s chances of depression.[3]
Reduce those chances by removing distractions when spending quality time together and showing your partner they have your full attention.
One way you can spend more time together as a couple is by becoming workout partners. Studies show that couples are more likely to stay with their exercise routine if they work out together.[4] Couples also work out harder than they would solo. One study found that 95 percent of couples who work out together maintained weight loss compares to the 66 percent of singles who did.[5]
Join a gym, do at-home couples’ workouts, try couples yoga, hit the hiking trails, or get your bikes out. No matter which way you choose to exercise, these healthy activities can promote a healthy relationship.
Pop open a bottle of wine or put some romantic music on while you get busy – in the kitchen, of course!
One of the best relationship tips for spending quality time together when you both have busy schedules is to cook meals together.[6]
Spice things up and try and prepare a four-course meal or a fancy French dish together. Not only is this a fun way to spend your time together, but it also promotes teamwork.
If all goes well, you’ll have a romantic date night meal at home that you prepared with your four hands. And if the food didn’t turn out the way you’d hoped, you are guaranteed to have a laugh and create new memories together.
Couples experience a greater sense of happiness and less stress when they are spending quality time together.[7] One of the biggest relationship tips for a healthy partnership is to include a date night in your weekly routine.
The National Marriage Project found that having a weekly date night can make your relationship seem more exciting and helps prevent relationship boredom.[8] It also lowers the probability of divorce, improves your sex life, and increases healthy communication.
Some great ideas for what to do on your date night include:
Here’re even more date night ideas for your reference: 50 Unique and Really Fun Date Ideas for Couples
The benefits of spending quality time together are endless. Here are just some of the ways it can contribute to a healthy relationship:
These are all excellent reasons to start making date night a regular part of your week.
It’s easy to have a healthy relationship when you set aside dedicated time to share with your spouse. Try new things together, make your spouse your workout buddy, and look for innovative ways to be close and connected.
These relationship tips will bring great benefits to your marriage.
Featured photo credit: Allen Taylor via unsplash.com
| [1] | ^ | The American Journal of Family Therapy: Romantic Physical Affection Types and Relationship Satisfaction |
| [2] | ^ | Journal of Happiness Studies: How’s Life at Home? New Evidence on Marriage and the Set Point for Happiness |
| [3] | ^ | Personality and Individual Differences: Partner phubbing and depression among married Chinese adults: The roles of relationship satisfaction and relationship length |
| [4] | ^ | Indiana University Bloomington: The two-month curse: don’t let January workout resolutions fade |
| [5] | ^ | J Consult Clin Psychol. : Benefits of recruiting participants with friends and increasing social support for weight loss and maintenance. |
| [6] | ^ | Marriage.com: 11 Ways to Have a Quality Time With Your Partner |
| [7] | ^ | J Marriage Fam. : Time for Each Other: Work and Family Constraints Among Couples |
| [8] | ^ | W. Bradford Wilcox & Jeffrey Dew: The Date Night Opportunity |
| [9] | ^ | Marriage.com: 10 Benefits of Physical Intimacy in Your Relationship |
