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As delightful as the holidays are, the end-of-year hustle may soon strain your romantic connection. To-do lists are bursting at the seams of your notebook, schedules are double and triple packed, and you’re operating on coffee and a prayer, honey. As women, we feel great pressure to say ‘no’ as little as possible, which can frequently lead to overexerting ourselves and, sadly, putting not just our mental health but also the health of our relationship at risk.
The last thing any of us wants to do is make our other half feel unimportant, or for them to feel unimportant to us. Fortunately for us, there are several easy, concrete methods to express respect and appreciation to our significant ones, letting them know that our relationship is important to us. Continue reading for nine ways to prioritize your relationship when life becomes busy.
1. Put a date night on the calendar
Whether it’s dinner at your favorite restaurant or just cozying up after the kids have gone to bed with a bottle of wine and the latest episode of Yellowstone, take time to be alone together. Scheduling quality time gives you a chance to reconnect, which is so important in life’s busy times. Date night can also mean a date day when you meet for coffee or lunch during the week.
2. Leave notes for each other
When you rush out the door in the morning, it’s easy to forget about the kiss, hug, or “I love you” goodbye. A great way to complement these little moments is to leave a note for your partner to find. The best part? It takes about 10 seconds to write a sweet note on a post-it and stick it on the bathroom mirror for them to find when they get ready. It will put a smile on their face and remind them that your relationship is a priority for you.
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3. Shop together
During the holidays, our calendars instantly fill up with things to do. Grocery runs, Amazon returns, and Target pick-ups are becoming a bit of a daily occurrence. The next time you need to complete a mundane task like this, ask your partner to come along and make it a meaningful moment together. Yes, we need to get these things done, but the good news is we don’t have to do them alone!
4. Express gratitude to each other
It’s the season when our to-do lists start taking over our lives. When this happens, it can be easy to feel like the burden of getting everything done is on you and you don’t recognize the things your significant other does. Take a moment to think about everything they do and express gratitude to your person. Hearing a simple “thank you” will make them feel appreciated, and also give them a chance to show your gratitude.
5. Make their morning coffee
Something as simple as making their coffee and bringing it to them in bed or when they get ready in the morning can actually be seen as a huge gesture. You’re probably going to make your own anyway, so get a small task off their morning checklist to start their day off right.
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6. Listen when they speak
Stop scrolling, cleaning, cooking or whatever and just listen. By intentionally listening to your partner, whether they’re talking about work, a fantasy soccer team, or the great idea they had while they were in the shower, you show that you care about what they have to say. Many couples have communication problems for a myriad of reasons. But a good way to keep your significant other from sharing things with you is to make it clear to them that you don’t care what they have to say. The next time they talk to you, show interest and listen carefully.
7. Use their love language
We are probably all aware by now that not everyone feels and shows love in the same way. Everyone has a “love language,a term coined by marriage counselor Dr. Gary Chapman, which allows them to express and feel love, including words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service, quality time, and physical touch. If you know your partner’s love language, you can incorporate those kinds of acts around them. Likewise, they can use your language to express love for you.
8. Join them for their favorite hobby
Has your significant other begged you to experience their virtual reality game? Or sit down and watch the Packers take on the Bears? Or join them during their fitness class? We know there never seem to be enough hours in a day; but if an evening spent in a VR headset, watching them yell at the TV for a few hours, or practicing your vinyasa will make your relationship grow, it seems worth it.
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9. Make time for physical intimacy
When life gets busy and your relationship isn’t your main priority, physical intimacy is often one of the first things to do. How should you want to handle it if you are physically and mentally exhausted from everything you had to do today? things you could do with your relationship. Or it has to schedule time for physical intimacyor even talk to a relationship counselor, it’s important to prioritize this part of your relationship to stay connected with your partner.
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