A hectic lifestyle and a relationship can become incompatible in the modern world, so here’s what you do …
Modern life can throw up a whole host of challenges, not least in terms of maintaining relationships with spouses and partners. In a world where we’re all juggling careers and/or childcare and parenting with other responsibilities, managing to keep a relationship alive (or even strengthen it so it’s more solid than it already is) can be extremely difficult.
From making the time to spend with our partners to ensuring that conflict doesn’t arise as a result of our busy lives, it can seem as though modern life is simply a continuous battle against different factors trying to break us up. It doesn’t have to be such a struggle though — read on for tips on maintaining a solid relationship through the trials and tribulations of busy, modern life.
Remaining intimate
Busy lifestyles can limit the amount of time you have to be together, so it’s important to make the most of the time you do have — this will help avoid general burnout as well. If you can’t avoid after-work activities during the week, ensure you rid yourself of distractions to spend time together at the weekends. It doesn’t have to be anything too intense — even going food shopping or watching TV at home for a couple of hours can have a significantly positive effect on your intimacy levels.
Taking responsibility in your relationship
A relationship, especially one where you cohabit, requires a lot of collaboration in practical terms. Each party needs to take responsibility for things like chores. For instance, if you both have jobs, it shouldn’t be up to just one person to do all the cooking (unless they enjoy it and won’t let you do it). If that person feels like everything’s falling on their shoulders, it can lead to resentment and the eventual end of the relationship. This is a partnership, so make sure it feels like one.
Keeping things fresh
When time is limited, it can be easy to slip into a comfortable routine that never changes from day-to-day, but this can be fatal for a relationship. Things can stagnate and your relationship can begin to flounder. With this in mind, you should do what you can to keep things fresh. Go on holiday, try new things in the kitchen (and in the bedroom, if you feel like it) or take up a hobby or activity together.
Avoiding bringing stress and negativity home
Sometimes it will be difficult to leave professional issues at the office where they belong. From time to time you will inevitably bring them home. If you’re in a bad mood, this can be unfair on your partner, who might feel as though you’re taking it out on them. While you should be able to vent, don’t make a habit of it, and don’t make your partner feel as though they’re being blamed for your problems — as untrue as that might be.
Not neglecting each other
This is a problem that can arise not as a result of our professional lives, but as a result of having children. The oft-repeated cliché that having a child can help bring a couple closer together can sometimes be completely wrong — if anything, it can make them more distant. This is because a child demands so much attention, care and time that parents can sometimes begin to unintentionally neglect each other’s wants and needs. This is completely unintentional, of course, but the effect will always be the same. Again, it’s important to spend time alone together — if this has to be after the kids have gone to bed, so be it. This will help maintain the intimacy and sense of partnership that you had before you became parents.
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Alex Sebuliba
Very passionate individual with a thirst for knowledge. Trying to show the world that people do not buy into what you do. they buy into 'why' you do it!
