Life (that tricky devil) has the tendency to get hectic on us, and our romantic relationships are often the first to suffer. But you don’t have to let busy schedules and exhaustion win. If you do these four things every single day, you’ll keep your partnership a strong, happy and loving place of refuge, no matter what stressful situations might come up.
1. Share a Meal
Just about every relationship expert in the book advocates the importance of having some kind of routine with your partner—which can be really tough when you’re both going full steam on alternate schedules. The fix? Carving out time to share at least one daily meal together. This allows you to slow down, enjoy each other’s company and have a positive shared experience every single day.
2. Check In
Staying connected when you’re apart is vital to a mindful, mutually supportive relationship. And it doesn’t take much effort either—a quick call or text to ask how their day is going or what they want for dinner tonight will provide comfort, reassurance and companionship. Even if things get busy and they don’t have time to respond right away, it’s the gesture that counts.
3. Kiss
Truth: Without physical intimacy, romance dissolves into friendship. That’s why it’s so darn essential to kiss your S.O. as often as you can. We’re not saying you need to get hot and heavy every day (though if you can swing it, good on ya). But a quick, tender kiss once daily can do wonders to keep your physical connection as strong as your mental one.
4. Laugh
The more you laugh, the more you love. OK, so we definitely stole that from one of those cheesy Insta-memes, but it’s so, so true. Even if you and your spouse are of the steel spine variety, everyone feels unhinged sometimes. And laughter is the sweet medicine that makes it all tolerable. Find something that makes you both laugh (whether it’s an inside joke, a dorky dance move or a quote from your favorite TV show) and work it into your daily routine. A day spent cracking up with the person you love? It really doesn’t get any better.
