Tips For Staying Close At Home

Tips For Staying Close At Home

Many of us have found ourselves spending more time with our significant others over the last months. While some couples welcome the extra time together and view it as a chance to grow closer or re-connect, others may find it challenging to suddenly be spending so much extra time together.

If you are feeling a bit of strain on your relationship from too much time together, here are some key tips for keeping the fun, closeness, and sexiness in your relationship.

1. Create and Follow a Routine

Suddenly spending more time at home can make routines vanish. You can easily go from waking up to an alarm clock, making breakfast, showering, getting dressed, and getting to work at a certain time to sleeping in, throwing on some sweatpants, and struggling to find ambition.

Even if you already worked from home, it is easy for your previous routine to get disrupted, especially if your partner is now also working from home

Creating and following a routine can play a key role in keeping your relationship happy and healthy. It does not need to be a strict or overly detailed routine. If you work from home, that will help keep most of your day structured.

If you always used to enjoy breakfast together, be sure to continue doing that. If you used to eat lunch separately, you can stick to doing that or try sharing lunch together to see if it would be a fun change. The same goes for dinner -- if you always ate dinner and discussed your day, be sure to keep doing it.

If you rode your bike or walked to work, it is important to find a new way to get your steps in for the day and keep your body moving. Make a point to get up and stretch every so often or participate in some form of acitivty, even just for a few minutes.

Examples of quick ways to include movement throughout your day include:

• Take a short walk (either outside or even just taking a few laps around your house)

• Run up and down your stairs a few times

• Jump rope for one to two minutes (this is an ideal option if you are trying to ramp up your heart rate in the shortest amount of time)

• Do a quick yoga flow

• Stretch or use a foam roller

• Do several sets of squats or jumping jacks

If you are not working, a routine is even more important. Along with setting times for meals and stretching and moving, think about how you would like to spend your time by asking yourself questions such as:

• Are there any projects you would like to complete?

• Are there any hobbies you want to take up?

• Are there any rooms you have been meaning to organize?

• Is there a remote job you would like to apply for?

• Is there a new path in life you would like to pursue or a new career path you would like to take?

• Is there a book you have been wanting to read?

Make a list of what you would like to devote your time to and set up a schedule to accomplish it. And yes, you can certainly work in a set time to catch up on some shows once you accomplish the rest of your goals for the day or save tv binge sessions for the weekend.

2. Schedule Alone Time

Alone time is more important now than ever as most of us were used to having portions of our day to ourselves. Allowing our brains the chance to wander and think freely without interruption can be a good thing for decompressing and unplugging.

If you find yourselves confined in your home or around more people than usual for longer periods of time, it is important to ask for a short break alone if you need it.

If you share a room or live in a small apartment, you can schedule alone time by having one person take a walk while the other stays inside for some unstructured time. You can use that time to do whatever you enjoy such as:

• Sneaking in a quick nap

• Reading a magazine

• Watching tv

• Cleaning while you listening to your favorite music

• Taking a bath

• Cooking

• Sipping a cup of tea

• Anything relaxing!

Be sure to offer to return the favor to your partner as needed.

3. Check In With Each Other

This is an emotional time for everyone, making it important to check in with your partner and pay attention to any new behaviors that arise in each other.

Treat each other with grace and as much forgiveness, compassion, and understanding as possible. Try to be patient with your partner and check in with each other at least once a day. It can be as simple as asking questions like:

• How are you doing today?

• Is anything bothering you?

• Is there anything I can help you with?

• Is there anything you would like to talk about?

• How are you feeling today?

Allow the conversation to flow and avoid any judgment or assumptions. Simply listening and letting your partner vent can be extremely helpful for navigating tricky emotions.

4. Plan Dates

Yes, you can still enjoy dates -- even from home! Plan dates in advance so you can both enjoy looking forward to them. You may need to experiment with unique ideas and re-frame your idea of what a typical date looks like. It can be a great chance to try new things together, get creative, and have some fun planning new ideas.

Some date ideas include:

• Taking a long walk or taking a hike somewhere you have always wanted to

• Cookinig your partner's favorte dinner or vice versa

• Devoting a night to some fun new ideas in the bedroom (role play, testing out a new toy, exploring a fetish, exploring each other's bodies and fantasies, etc.)

• Cooking together and watching your favorite show after

• Watching a movie you've both been wanting to see and eating your favorte snacks together

• Remember -- Don't be afraid to get dressed up for your partner for whatever idea you plan

Improving Your Relationship During Tough Times

As hard as it may be to believe, right now can be a beautiful time for growing closer to your partner and exploring your relationship. Yes, many couples will find themselves tested, but I hope your relationship will only grow stronger.

As always, I invite you to join my Facebook group for advice. In this private, sacred space, you can ask any sex questions you have, get encouragement and support, and connect with other women.

Wishing you health and a strong, happy, growing relationship!