It could be something simple like a quiet dinner with no electronics or a relaxing movie or TV show that you watch together without distractions. You can also go out somewhere nice to eat or just take a stroll around your neighborhood. Quality time doesn’t have to be complicated. All you need is each other!
You could also try to check out a new restaurant every date night or take turns choosing what you’ll do together to keep it interesting.
Honest and open communication is a sign of a healthy relationship with a strong bond. For instance, if you’re stressed out at work and your partner is also asking you to do something, you can say something like, “I’m under a lot of pressure at work right now and I’m feeling really stressed. I need you to understand that and be patient with me. ”
You don’t have to bombard your partner with questions, but try to take advantage of opportunities to get to know them even more. For instance, if you start talking about a book or a movie, try asking them when they saw it, what they thought about it, and whether or not they’d watch it again. You can learn a lot about each other just by asking simple questions.
For instance, if you need your partner to do something practical like clean up the living room, try just being direct and say something like, “Hey, can you pick up and vacuum the living room?” If something is bothering you emotionally, be clear about that, too. For example, you could say something like, “I’m feeling really down right now, can you make me some tea and sit with me, please?”
If your partner doesn’t feel like you listen to them, they may feel less inclined to tell you about their thoughts and feelings or care to listen to yours.
For instance, if your partner makes dinner, thank them for it. If you bring them lunch or clean up the kitchen, they should be thankful for that, too. Research actually shows that expressing gratitude can improve the relationship for both people. It’s science!
For instance, if your partner is having a conflict with someone in their family, you can say something like, “I’m sorry to hear that. It sounds super frustrating, but I’m here if you need me. Please let me know if there’s something I can do to help. ”
It’s also helpful to stay focused on the issue at hand and avoid trying to bring up other problems from the past. It can only add to the negativity. Talk about how you feel without blaming your partner and use direct language so everyone is on the same page and no one is confused.
For example, you should still get together with your own friends and spend time with your family. That also means your partner should be able to have his own identity and relationships with friends and family as well.
If you or your partner feel like you can’t do things you love to do, it can cause anger and resentment to build in your relationship. For instance, if you like to play video games and your partner likes to golf with their friends, allow each other the time and space to do the things you enjoy.
