In our busy worlds, it can be very hard to actually find time to enjoy each other’s company. If you find you are always passing each other rather than slowing down to speak to one another, it’s time you figured out how to make time for your spouse.
Examine Your Schedule
If you’re constantly on the go, it’s not necessarily healthy for you or your relationship. Relationships need patience and nurturing and many don’t receive the care they need if you never have time to focus on romance. So the first thing in finding time to spend together is to look at what is already on your calendar. Make a daily list of things that you do so that you can see exactly how your life works and what your schedule looks like.
Trim the Fat
Once you’ve got everything on the calendar, start working through your schedule trimming the wasted time and eliminating activities. For example, if you drop your son off at karate, then go pick up your daughter before dropping her off at dance, would you save time by picking up kids up first, dropping them both off, and possibly swinging by to pick up the dry cleaning on the way to or from the activities?
[ad]
Are you going to the grocery store more than once a week? Would a better list help cut down the trips, or would possibly going to a different store with a bigger selection be better? How many side trips do you make every day and do you really need to stay that late at the office? Can you work through lunch and cut out early a day or two a week, or even run errands during lunch to save time at the end of the day?
Expand Your Network
Once you’ve rearranged your own schedule, reach out to friends and family to see if there is any kind of help out there. Perhaps your daughter’s best friend goes to the same dance class. Could the friend’s mother drop the girls off and you pick them up? Or is your spouse willing to handle one child’s events while you take care of another? You might even be lucky enough to have grandparents nearby who would enjoy picking up the kids and having them over for the evening one day a week.
[ad#2]
Schedule a Date
Finally, your new schedule should have some extra time. Immediate fill it up. But this time, you may only schedule two things. The first is time for you – you need time so that you don’t burn out or make yourself sick without adequate rest. The second thing to fill up that time is a date with your spouse. Write him in the calendar in ink. And put his name on your schedule at least once per week. Be sure your spouse has done the same.
Keep the Appointment
The hardest thing about making time for each other is to actually keep the appointment. Spending time together doesn’t have to be a big deal, and you don’t even have to leave the house. Play a board game together or make a special dinner – even if it’s a very late one. Open a bottle of wine and enjoy a romantic movie. Get in a routine of togetherness, and soon you’ll find that you count on that time together for its relaxation and predictability – a bit of calm in an otherwise crazy world.
Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.