From the moment you wake up, until you crawl back to bed, chances are you’re going non-stop. Whether it’s getting your children to school, cooking a delicious AND nutritious meal, or finishing that urgent report, there’s always more to be done.
Little wonder that you let out a half-scream when you get into bed, only to discover the strange man beside you is actually your husband. You’d be forgiven for forgetting – it seems you only meet every 24 hours when you’re too tired to think straight, let alone engage in any form of meaningful connection.
But this way of living is a mistake. A successful marriage gives you increased daily happiness and significant life satisfaction http://www.happy-relationships.com/marriageandhappiness.html – and you can’t do successful when you’re like ships passing in the night.
So here are 10 simple ways to connect with your husband today – ways that don’t require much time, money or effort- but will help you feel closer.
SET “YOUR SONG” AS YOUR ALARM
Every couple has a song that reminds them of special times gone past – whether it’s from the concert you attended when you first started dating, the song you played over and over that magical summer, or the music to your first wedding dance – you have a song.
If you don’t already have the song on your phone, download it, and then set it as your alarm. You and your husband will wake up and instantly be transported to that time with all its happy memories.
TAKE TWO MINUTES TO CUDDLE
While your song is playing, scooch over and lay your head on your husband’s chest. Snuggle in tight and enjoy the brief moment of physical closeness before you get out of bed and get started on the day.
COMMUTE TOGETHER ONE DAY A WEEK
If you both work, see if there is one day a week you can commute together. My husband and I work in the same place and drive to work together every day. We find this block of time a great one to talk about our goals for the day on the way there, and a rehash of events on the way home, so that when we do walk in the door, it’s all about our home-life.
LISTEN TO YOUR LOVE STORY
If commuting together is just not possible, not even once a week, then seize on the music idea from the first point and up it a notch. Create a playlist for the commute – the soundtrack to your relationship. Ask him to listen to it on his journey, and you do the same. If you don’t work, you can play it as you complete tasks around the home. You won’t be able to stop thinking of those special memories.
LEAVE HIM A LOVE NOTE
Before your husband leaves for work, grab a post it note and scribble a quick “I love you” note to your husband. Stick it on the car dash, in his wallet, or on his laptop’s computer screen – anywhere that will give him a nice surprise when he sees it.
COME UP WITH CODE WORDS
Code words or phrases are super fun ways of connecting with your husband. The most obvious one is the code word for sex. Maybe telling your husband you need to wash your hair is your signal to both disappear to the bedroom. Maybe you have a single word – like cookies – and mention to him how much you feel like cookies right now. (If you really love cookies and eat them often, that might not be the best code word).
Code words for “save me” and “stop” are also useful ones to have!
DO THE DISHES TOGETHER
Men like to work alongside their wives, and so why not take a boring chore like tidying the kitchen after dinner, and make it into an opportunity to connect. You’ll get it done in half the time you usually would, and you can take the chance to talk about your hopes and dreams as you get those dishes sparkling clean.
If the dishes doesn’t work, try any other household chore that is usually a solo job – such as folding the washing, or doing the dusting – and see how that works.
HAVE A QUICK POST-DINNER RITUAL
Taking a few minutes after dinner is another simple way to connect with your husband. Every night, after we’ve eaten, my husband and I sit down with a cup of tea, to rest and regroup before we get on to the business of the evening. We both look forward to this quick ritual every night. If tea is not your thing, think of what five minute activity you can do that will achieve the same feeling of togetherness.
GO TO BED TOGETHER
I cannot stress this one enough! If you do one thing on this list, this should be the one. There’s nothing worse than one of you going to bed and one of you staying up for another hour or so. Not only do you miss out on the change to cuddle and “code word,” you create a different rhythm to your day.
SLEEP NAKED
Now this one may be tricky depending on the age of your children and whether or not they’re prone to coming in during the night for a cuddle. However if at all possible, sleep naked. There’s nothing quite like skin on skin contact, and it makes sex that little bit easier to get started.
Our marriages are so important, and yet so often neglected. If you feel like you need to get closer to your husband, then try these simple ways to connect with your husband today.
Katie is a wife to the world’s most supportive husband, and a mom to two adult children, who have now flown the nest. She blogs at My Sweet Home Life, where women find inspiration and motivation to organize their homes, nurture their relationships and develop themselves. She believes that with small steps daily in the right direction, anything is possible! Follow Katie on Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter!
