A Relationship Therapist Shares 4 Tips to Prioritize Dates with Your Partner
People often think that once you’re in a serious, committed relationship or married, date nights become less important. But, in reality dates are essential for all relationships. As the relationship settles into a place of comfort and security, date nights become less and less of a priority. Life gets busy. Work takes up most of your time, and if you have kiddos, then the rest of your time is split between them and their activities, and usually your spouse gets whatever is left over. It can feel like it is too big of a task to find time to have a dedicated date night. It seems as though date night becomes too much, something that takes planning and a night out or something extravagant. But it doesn’t need to be! The main takeaway from a date is prioritizing your partner and showing them how much they mean to you. As a relationship therapist, I’d like to share some tips to make prioritizing date night easy!
Here are 4 ways to make dates a priority!
- Plan it out.
Take the time with your partner to look at the upcoming month and schedule weekly dates. Put it on your calendar ahead of time. Not only will this allow you to schedule other events around your pre-planned date night, but it also provides something to look forward to. And remember, no matter what your date is a priority.
- Stay in.
Many times, when you hear the word date night, immediately you think of the stereotypical dinner at a nice restaurant and a movie. It doesn’t need to be fancy or expensive. It simply needs to be dedicated time with one another. You could stay in and cook together, do a movie marathon with all of your favorite snacks, or even have a spa-like experience at home and take turns pampering one another.
- Take turns planning.
Be creative and take turns planning a date. Set a budget and run with it! It can be exciting to think outside of the box and plan something fun for you and your partner. It allows you to show your personality a bit and create a new shared experience with the person you love.
- Play a game.
It doesn’t have to be an adult-only game (although those are a lot of fun), but playing a game allows you both to not only be present but also bring out your inner child and playfulness. It can be at home or at an arcade. You could even find your local putt-putt and be a little competitive! Whatever it is, just let loose, have fun, and enjoy the moment with your partner.
Keep in mind that at the end of the day…
Relationships take work. Every day, you wake up and choose your person over and over again. At the start of a relationship, there are many dates and a lot of effort that goes into making sure that the person is “the one.” It’s important to remember that the same effort is essential throughout the entirety of a relationship. Invest in your relationship consistently and watch it flourish.
Date nights or day dates are just one of the ways to help maintain your connection. If you’d like some additional support for your relationship, SEVN Therapy Co. has premarital and marital memberships, which include an evidence-based couples’ assessment to help you navigate your relationship. Let’s come up with some possible date activities for your relationship. Book your first session with me today or give us a call at (817) 778-0522.
Stephanie Silva, LPC-Associate
Supervised by Scott Martindale, LPC-S
