Here are five ways to enhance your relationship:
- Prioritize Play: Regularly make time for lighthearted fun and silliness. This boosts satisfaction, eases tension, and keeps things fresh. You already know how to make each other laugh (or you did at one point!)—just remember to do it. Research on this point: LINK
- Undistracted Time: Put phones away (all screens, really) to be truly present with each other. Quality, focused time is more important than quantity. The activity itself doesn’t matter as much as the attention you give each other. Research on this point: LINK
- Schedule Sex: Happy couples tend to have good sex lives. If life gets busy, intentionally scheduling intimacy can reduce stress and ensure you connect. Yes! That means putting intimacy on the calendar as a regularly scheduled event (this doesn’t mean give up on spontaneity, it means life is busy and what we schedule is what tends to happen. So, get out your shared calendars/apps). Research on this point: LINK
- Create Rituals: Shared routines create comfort and stability. Rituals help build a distinct shared identity and ground your relationship. These can be fun or practical, like game nights or weekly planning. Research on this point: LINK
- Share Space: Enjoy “me time” together through “parallel play.” This means doing separate activities side-by-side, like one reading while the other plays a game. It allows for individual de-stressing while still sharing company. Research on this point: LINK
5 Strategies to Improve Your Relationship
And, here’s one more from Julie Gottman:
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This post does not constitute therapeutic counseling or advice; the contents of this post are provided as a learning resource. We share the contents hoping that if you are in need of mental health support you will reach out to us directly or to a mental health professional in your area.