How to Improve a Relationship: Quick & Easy Steps

After several years of marriage and three kids, I’m convinced that more families would stay together if they did a few more things.  I have put together this list to share what has worked for me and my family.  Hopefully something here may be of benefit to you as well.

1.       Balance: having a balance of your time is an important part of a relationship and life in general.  You need to balance the amount of time you work, rest, play, learn and live.  You need time to give to your partner, your children if you have them, yourself as well as fulfilling your responsibilities to your employer and other commitments you may have.  We found that having a calendar with space for everyone to write what they are doing helped keep my family balanced.

2.       Communication:  I really think this is central to everything.  Communicating with each other doesn’t have to be sitting down for hours at a time talking about the workings of the universe.  It involves using nicer words and talking in a way that everybody can understand.  It is important for a couple to have some time to talk about issues and concerns they may have, and this should be done regularly, in an open environment where both people feel safe.  For couples with kids, taking a few minutes to talk to your children about their day helps build a relationship with them.  This task doesn’t take hours of time, even spending an extra 10 minutes talking with your children or your partner will help your relationship.

3.       Activities: as a minimum, you should plan to have at least one activity per week with your partner.  It doesn’t have to be going out to dinner, the movies or something that costs money all the time.  Instead, you can have an activity at home that is cheap or free such as cooking dinner or cookies together, start a puzzle or a board game, or have a picnic on your lawn.  Doing an activity together allows time for both of you to step away from the other dealings in your life and focus on something worthwhile together.  If you have children, do the same thing.  Spend some time lying on the floor playing toys together, go for a bike ride, or play in the sand pit.  Activities are something that brings you closer together.  Something that couples should try is going grocery shopping together – give it a try and see what happens.