You already know that communication is a crucial aspect of a healthy relationship. But how do you realistically find the time to give your relationship the proper communication it deserves when you’re so busy with all of life’s demands? Have a regular meeting time planned each week. You can talk about what is or isn’t working for you, how the relationship can be improved and what you can each do about it, parenting or family issues, budgeting, or planning a vacation. This is not a scheduled time to fight, but rather, a time for you to be together and work on being a team. It shouldn’t be all negative, even if you’ve had a tough week make sure you throw in a few positive notes or compliments. The point is, it doesn’t matter what you talk about, as long as you make the time to talk, and if that time has already been reserved (say, every Monday at 9PM) there’s one less hurdle standing between you and impeccable communication!
Some disclaimers:
Rachel
Some disclaimers:
- Have a meeting even when things are going well, be consistent and work on nurturing the relationship and making it even better.
- Set some guidelines: Make sure the kids are in school or in bed, turn off the TV and put away your phones, this is done best in the absence of distractions.
- This can be done in the comfort of your own home, or you can make a date night out of it by meeting at your favorite coffee shop, restaurant, or beach!
- If this is too difficult to do, or you find yourself in heated arguments, maybe you should have your meetings in a therapist’s office, aka couples therapy. A therapist can help you resolve these issues and get you on your way to communicating better with or without having them present.
Rachel