At the start of a relationship, you move mountains to spend more time together. Sleep? Never heard of her! That errand I need to run, let’s do it together! The couple that picks up their dry cleaning together, stays together. But as your relationship progresses and you really start sharing a life, it becomes more and more necessary to carve out those moments when it’s just the two of you.
So, how do you really get the most out of it? When planning the time Penn and I spend together, here are some things I always try to keep in mind:
Remove All Distractions
Whenever Penn and I have alone time, we make sure we’re actually alone. If you’re distracted by anything or anyone else, you’re not giving this time together the focus it deserves. First and foremost, we put down the tech. Laptops closed, phones on silent, no more working. Distractions also mean kids. Thankfully, they’re more than capable of entertaining themselves now.
Switch It Up
There are some couples who love a set date night routine. They go to the same restaurant or always go see a movie on the same night each week. And if that works for you, that’s fantastic. But part of the fun for us is finding new things to see and do together. To keep it fair, we take turns choosing what our activity will be. For me, I love to find new restaurants. For Penn, it usually involves a new beer release at a brewery.
Quality Over Quantity
Not every week allows for dedicated one-on-one time with each other. Sharing a business and working from home means we see a lot of each other and it can be hard to leave our jobs aside at the end of the day. So if we have a lot going on and only get a small amount of time together, we like to get out of the house for a while, even just hitting the gym for a workout.
Listen to Each Other
One of the keys to a successful marriage — or any relationship, for that matter — is communication. Our needs and wants change over time and sharing them with each other is important. Whenever we spend time with just the two of us, we make a point to check in with each other, really ask how the other person is doing, and take in what they’re saying.
Make it Fun
Another key to a lasting, loving marriage is laughter. And you can probably tell Penn and I love to make each other laugh. Our shared goofiness is one of the things that made me realize he was the right person for me. Penn has helped me learn to relax more and find humor in all the ups and downs of life. No matter what we’re doing together, we try to add some jokes and silliness to remind us how lucky we are to have each other.
What is your favorite activity to do with your significant other? Share your suggestions in the comments.
