The 5 Daily And Weekly Activities That Have A 95% Impact On The Success Of A Marriage
Staying connected with small actions can bring you and your partner closer together.
Vera Arsic / Pexels Maintaining the spark of a romantic relationship takes work, especially as years pass, but it’s the good kind of work — a labor of actual love.
Entrepreneur and international speaker Justin Prince shared the techniques he uses to stay close to his spouse, and they’re simple practices that anyone can master.
Here are 5 daily and weekly activities that have a 95% impact on the success of a marriage:
1. Schedule a weekly date night.
Prince knows how hard it can be to carve out time for each other. “I know I’m busy, I know you’re busy. We’re traveling, we have kids, we need a babysitter, I know it’s hard,” he said as an example of the kinds of things couples say to one another.
Yet no matter how busy you may be, it’s still important to find time to reconnect as a couple. Those acts of reconnection don’t have to be fancy — grab a meal, take a walk together or watch a show you’ve never seen.
Photo: Zamrznuti tonovi / Shutterstock
2. Practice daily communication.
Prince explained that couples talk all the time, yet what they talk about often lacks a certain resonance. He said, “Most couples, particularly over time, their communication is, ‘What’s for dinner? How was work? Are you picking up the kids or am I picking up the kids?’”
In other words, conversations become transactional, rather than emotional or intellectual.
He shared his way of combating that feedback loop, through daily communication and asking deeper questions. He described it as maintaining a check-in or having “an actual conversation” about your internal weather.
3. Maintain emotional and physical connections.
Prince offered examples of how to keep a physical connection going, including holding hands, hugging and anything else that ups the physical intimacy that so often gets overlooked in a long-term couple.
Photo: Dean Drobot / Shutterstock
He revealed that emotional connection is equally as important, noting, “You can be on the same couch and be disconnected emotionally; you can be 2,000 miles away around the country, around the world, and be emotionally connected.”
“Investing in the emotional and physical connection” is a highly valuable investment, resulting in you and your partner feeling closer, no matter where you may be.
4. Look for ways to help your partner.
Prince frames this activity as “looking for ways to serve,” or to make life easier for your spouse.
Photo: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock
Noticing what needs to be done around the house is an active way to combat weaponized incompetence, and it shows you’re thinking about your partner’s practical needs and helping contribute to the household running smoothly.
5. Give sincere compliments.
Prince offered one great phrase to share with your partner that shows just how much you care: “I am just so grateful for my life with you.”
Sharing appreciation, especially in small, actionable ways, helps people feel closer. It’s easy to overlook the little things, and when you’ve been together for a long time, it becomes almost routine to not share intimate moments.
Yet making every day and every week a little special goes a long way in maintaining the romance of a relationship, and helps to build a strong foundation for your love to continue to blossom.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers relationships, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.