Plan Date Nights and Retreats
If you don’t purposely take time out of your schedule for your marriage, you might find that you don’t end up devoting enough time to your relationship. It’s important to plan for spending time together as a couple. Otherwise, you might find that time slips by without taking time out to renew your relationship.
Many couples get caught up in the demands of daily life. They may work hard and spend their spare time completing household chores, socializing with friends, taking care of their children, and unwinding in front of the television. Couples may feel like they spend plenty of time together but don’t really ever go on dates or spend time just focusing on each other.
It’s important to have date nights. Think about the early days in your relationship. How did you spend your time together? It’s likely you went on dates. And when you weren’t going out on dates, it’s likely you were spending time together focusing on one another’s company. This time you spent together allowed you to get to know one another and to grow your relationship. That is why dating and spending time together is so important.
Even mature relationships require you to spend quality time together. Going on a date together is a wonderful way to focus on one another. It can help you continue to grow together as you both grow and mature as individuals.
There are many reasons people give for not spending time together. Some people cite money as a barrier. It’s important to look at your budget. Is there anything you could do to save up money for a date? And remember, dates don’t have to be expensive. You can find cost effective ways to spend time together.
Other couples cite lack of time as a problem. If you are feeling this way, it is most likely a signal that you need to take time for one another more than ever. Not taking time out to nurture your relationship can cause your marriage to slowly erode away and the relationship can break down.
Spending time together on a single date or during a weekend retreat can be very beneficial to your marriage. However, remember that these things don’t just happen on their own. They require some planning and preparation. So take some time out of your schedule to plan to spend some quality time with your spouse.
I agree with this blog and the importance of date nights and other ways for couples to stay connected. I would add a rule that I found helpful to remember: DO NOT TALK ABOUT THE CHILDREN, WORK AND HOUSEHOLD TOPICS. Otherwise, you may as well stay at home. When you are out with your partner, try to shut everything out and focus on each other, just like you used to do when you were dating and getting to know each other. This may mean you may have times of silence, but that is better than using “fillers.” If you practice this consistently, you will be surprised to see how many things will come up for conversation!