By Brooke Rawson

Our lives today are filled with schedules and deadlines. Sometimes it is hard to make time for others or to even go on a simple date. So how can you possibly find the time to do all the list’s of stuff that magazines say you should do to improve your relationship?

Well here are five easy tips that hardly require any work, just a little imagination:

1. Smiling

Relationships are hard work and they can bring a lot of stress with them. Some days you need a jump start. Try smiling. Smiling is such a simple act and it has multiple benefits. Smiling has been shown to reduce stress, increase positive thinking, make you look younger, and it’s contagious. That’s right, it’s contagious! Simply smiling at someone can boost both your moods. So the next time you see your partner remember to smile. 

2. Touching

Did you know that something as small as just holding hands while watching television can reduce stress and create a feeling of calm? Sometimes we get into a fast pace in life and we forget about the simple things we used to enjoy doing with our partners that made us feel good. So the next time your sitting on the couch or eating lunch why not reach over and hold their hand? 

3. Find a Common Interest

Do you feel like you have nothing to talk about with your partner? Try finding a common interest. Do you both enjoy sports or reading a type of book? If you do, well then watch sports together or both of you get a copy of that new science fiction book and read it together. If your partner is very career oriented and you feel that’s all they have time for, then try taking an interest in their career. Learn new things about their career field or simply talk about issues going on at work. There’s a good chance they will start coming to you for ideas and problem solving.

4. Do an Activity Together

Activities are a great way to build a stronger connection and to spend some quality time together. Going to a movie and dinner is great but what if you have children, can’t find a babysitter, or money is tight? Learn a new game together or find a new recipe for a dinner or dessert then cook it together in the kitchen. You can find activities, such as card games that can include your children as well. So the next time the kids are in bed pull out a deck of cards. You can even add some spice making up little rules for your games. For example, who ever wins gets a foot massage.

5.  Compliment Each Other

A compliment can make someone’s day. Think back to a time when received an unexpected compliment. How did it make you feel? Happy? Proud? Did you feel the need to pass on the kindness? Well we should compliment our partners as well. Everybody needs to hear that their hard work is appreciated or that the time they took to look nice was noticed. Compliments lets others know you are paying attention. More than likely if someone notices your paying attention then they will do the same as well.

Author- Brooke Rawson is a stay at home mom with her daughter. She has a bachelors in psychology. Her goals include getting accepted into graduate school for marriage counseling, becoming a therapist, and travelling the world. She spends her days watching and chasing after her very active daughter of two. Her hobbies including studying sex and relationships. She currently resides in Florida.