When you say “I do” or agree to move in together, visions of coming home after work to that one person, talking about your day and being there for each other probably spring to mind. I bet none of us imagined being trapped inside a house 24/7 for weeks on end with the same person and having to share living, working and breathing space continuously!
When it comes to “lockdown” one of the most repeated themes of distress appears to be the strain on relationships. In an ideal world we would all be treasuring this quality time together, planning adventures, completeing tasks and making the most of each other, but in reality the sound of your partner breathing or the way they cut the cheese may be making you want to run away and never come back.
So if you, like many, are struggling at this time, Here are our top tips for getting through lockdown and still coming out the other side as a couple:
Embrace your differences
Try to remember to be tolerant of each other where you can and accept those little quirks.
Time together and apart
Try to spend some quality time together at least once per day doing something “fun”....games nights, themed dinners, a long walk.
It is also important to do things separately that bring you enjoyment too, such as speaking to friends or family or completing a task.
It’s not you, It’s me
Don’t take anything personally, your partner is probably as stressed as you.
Give each other space when it’s needed.
The language of love
Appreciate your partners “love language”. We don’t all show love and affection in the same way, learning how they communicate and show their love can help to improve your relationship on many levels.
Intolerance and stress are very normal at this time, but if you feel that your problems run deeper and need addressing then couples therapy can be a great way to understand and develop communication and explore problems.
Please do get in contact if you feel you would like a non obligatory chat about couples or individual therapy.
When arguments turn to abuse, bullying or violence, this is the time to seek help and support. www.gov.uk has information and support for those that feel at risk.