The busy holiday season is over; now it’s time to get back to your regular busy routine. Now is the perfect time to revisit your time boundaries and make more time for one another. That’s because even though we often spend the holidays unplugged from our usual routines, we still fill our time with celebrations, events, and family obligations.
By the time January arrives, many of us are starting the new year exhausted and overwhelmed. What if you didn’t have to go back to the familiar status quo? What if you used the beginning of this year as an opportunity to take back more of your time as a couple?
We’ve gathered some ideas to help you make more time for your marriage and your family as we begin a brand new year. Let’s dive right in.
1. Keep a few minutes in the morning and the evening for yourselves.
Early morning and bedtime are often times when we go on autopilot. Maybe we’re too tired to break out of our usual habits, or these routines are simply ingrained. However, these times of day are perfect for stealing a few extra moments together.
A morning devotional, coffee routine, or even eating breakfast together could help to nurture your relationship. At bedtime, consider cutting back on scrolling or TV time in favor of a good conversation. Whatever these small changes look like, know that they could pay dividends for your marriage.
2. Schedule regular date nights.
Continuing to date your spouse after you’re married is crucial if you want to nurture lifelong love – even if you spend date nights in! There’s no rule that says how often you should date; maybe it’s just once a month. Dating doesn’t have to be extravagant; instead, it can be simple and inexpensive.
3. Reassess your shared activities.
Take a look at the mix of activities that you and your spouse are each involved in. How many of those activities are shared? Are there any adjustments you can make that will give you a little extra time with one another?
There may be activities that each of you could consider eliminating to free up time. Alternatively, one of you might choose to join in on an activity that the other is passionate about. Whatever this looks like for you, consider how you might be able to go on more adventures and engage in more extracurricular activities as a couple.
4. Consider where your schedules may allow for overlap.
Take a look at all of the obligations each of you have from one week to the next. Is it possible that you’re missing opportunities to be together? How can you create more overlap where you didn’t before?
Is it possible for you to:
- Carpool to work?
- Have breakfast or lunch together more often?
- Take advantage of times when the kids are busy with activities?
- Run routine errands as a couple?
Put your heads together to see what other ideas you can come up with. You’re likely missing many possibilities!
5. Work together to create more availability for each other.
Talk about possible adjustments you can make to your daily and weekly routine so that you can be together more. Doing the things that nurture your spouse will help you to grow closer to one another. This is going to look different for every person, but consider the importance of things like shared meal time, taking time for prayer and devotionals, or shared activity.
Find more tips in 4 Ways to Save Your Time Together in the New Year.
6. Believe it’s possible to make more time for togetherness this year.
Oftentimes, we stop short of making positive changes for ourselves because we believe that we’re not capable of following through. This is also true when it comes to time freedom. If you don’t believe you can make more time for one another, it’s going to be a lot more difficult.
It’s so important to start this journey with a positive attitude and a belief that you and your spouse can, in fact, take back more time for yourselves this year. If you need a little extra support, take a look at our book, Your Time-Starved Marriage, to get started. You can get your copy here.
