Since the recession of the late-2000s Americans have felt an increased societal pressure to stay busy and be worth something. With this heightened sense of busyness it’s not surprising that so many people are having a tough time with relationships. Work, children, and other obligations often eclipse the romantic relationships that we cherish but don’t always nurture. Fortunately, there are several ways to help you prioritize finding time for your relationship.
Take Advantage of Small Moments of Opportunity
Life is full of more small but important moments that we should notice. With work and other obligations demanding your time and attention, you may not always prioritize the time you could spend with your partner.
Having a meal is something that you need to do, so whenever possible spend it with your partner. You could also take thirty minutes or an hour out of your day to watch a television show that you two both enjoy. Moments spent together don’t have to be grand; sometimes the smallest moments are what make the relationship special.
Schedule Time for Your Relationship
As you become more and more busy as the years go by, it can be hard to find those spontaneous, small moments with your partner. The best solution is to plan ahead. A schedule never sounds romantic, but it can be helpful for putting the romance back in your relationship.
Find a night when you and your partner can go out for dinner or to a movie. Set aside a nice afternoon to take a walk in the park or around the neighborhood. The activity doesn’t need to be romantic or extravagant, but spending time together to reconnect can help strengthen your relationship.
Communication is Key
When it comes to finding time for your relationship, communication is important. You may not need to spend a lot of time with your partner to feel loved and wanted. However, your partner may feel the need to spend more time with you. Therefore, it’s important for you and your partner to communicate your needs and expectations for the relationship with one another.
Simply Make an Effort
There are many people who claim that they are too busy for a relationship or that relationships fall apart because people are too busy. But when will you ever not be busy? If you are lucky, you will have a steady career until you eventually retire. And you will likely have other obligations that will “get in the way” of a relationship, which then leads to the question: When will you have time for a relationship? Having a relationship is not easy, and you will have put work into it.
In general, people want to be around other people, and if you are willing to put effort into your relationship, your partner will be happy. You and your partner need to be realistic about where you are in your lives and what the relationship should look like. Communicating with each other and making the effort to find time for your relationship will show your partner that you are invested in the relationship.
When Simply Finding Time for Your Relationship is not Enough
Perhaps you already spend a lot of time with your partner. Maybe you even work together. Sometimes simply spending time together is not enough. Or maybe you need to spend less time together so you can reclaim your identity.
If you and your partner seem to have hit a wall in your relationship or if the busyness in your lives is getting in the way of your relationship perhaps couples counseling can help you get it back on track. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment with one of the experienced therapists at Keri Powell Therapy.