How to maintain a healthy relationship under lockdown

We all love to hear and talk about couples who have risen against all odds, stuck together through thick and thin, and made their relationship last.

The truth is, couples argue and complain about each other all the time, but they have been through thick and thin together and always shared a bond through the test of times.

People often say that marriages are made in heaven, but if you ask any couple who have been together in a long-term relationship, they will tell you that in reality “It takes time and effort”

With the lockdown and quarantine measures across the globe, to maintain healthy relationships has become more of a challenge than a vacation.

But this is yet another test of time that we have to pass for maintaining a healthy relationship with our partner and make it last forever.

Socially Desi has compiled the topmost ways on how to maintain a healthy relationship under lockdown –

Communication is KEY

Effective communication is a key aspect of a healthy relationship. You’ll feel comfortable and content when you have a healthy emotional bond with your partner. 

When people stop interacting well, they stop connecting well, and moments of turmoil or stress will really bring the disconnect out and pour in frustration.

Communication is essential in any relationship to last. Every couple who has stood the test of time will tell you that there is a healthy communication pattern which helps in their day to day communications.

There are no set rules for this communication pattern, it may vary for each one of us, but its there. It’s vital to be heard and understood in a relationship.

Since we are spending the whole day in the same house together now due to lockdown, we feel communication is happening automatically and there’s nothing wrong. We stop making efforts to communicate.

Tell them about your day as you converse with your friend. Be totally transparent about what is bothering you and what you love.

Be clear about your needs and your emotional desires. In opening up, you are sharing your partner’s insecurity and confidence. In fact, you’re encouraging them to be just as honest with you by being so transparent with them.

Listening with your Ears and Heart

Relationships last long with partners listen to each other and by listening I mean REALLY listen to each other. Not just through the ear but through their hearts too. Remember, there’s a huge difference between simply hearing and listening.

It’s not always easy to communicate in a stressed environment, especially the one we are living in these days.

Constant pressure from work (work from home that is), insecure job situation as many companies are exercising pay cuts, many have laid off employees, healthcare precautions, etc. has let to anxiety and stress in most couples and this reflects in their listening patterns towards each other.

Do check out our blog on ” How to reduce stress during a lockdown “ to gain some insights on how you and your partner can overcome this scenario together.

Stop the Guess Game

The notion of couples needing to connect and solve all of their problems is a misconception. It’s practically not possible to solve all your problems, but long term couples would tell you that taking the guessing game out of the communication helps a lot to understand the situation and move on without hurtful conflicts.

Research has shown that thousands of happily married couples have a long history of unresolved issues, issues that sometimes have lasted for more than a decade. On the other hand, many failed relationships occurred in the pursuit of resolving each and every problem couples had in their relationship.

Chatting about what you need isn’t always convenient. Many of us, in a relationship, do not spend enough time talking about what is really important to us. And even though you know what you need, it can make you feel insecure, humiliated, or even ashamed of thinking about it. Yet, look at it from the point of view of your partner. It’s a privilege to give warmth and understanding to those you love.

Tell them what you feel. Tell them openly about what you want. Don’t keep them guessing what’s wrong with you or what’s causing your distress. Remember Love is not a burden, it’s a blessing.

Indulge in Healthy Discussions

It’s not an oxymoron; learning how to have healthy arguments and discussions means being able to handle the unavoidable conflicts without causing unnecessary damage.

You can bet you’ll eventually get into an argument, but how prominent that argument becomes is in your control.

By making rules such as no personal insults or bringing up past issues, you can weather the inevitable disputes without irreparable harm.

During this lockdown, it’s natural that you might end up arguing about something or the other. It can be as stupid as the tea not being as you liked, or a grocery item you forgot to buy.

It would be impossible to arrive on a compromise if you approach your partner with the mentality that things have to always be your way.

This mentality often stems from not getting certain needs met while being younger, or it may be years of cumulative frustration in the relationship hitting a boiling point.

It’s OK to have strong opinions about something, but your partner deserves to be heard as well. Remember, compromising doesn’t mean you’re weak.

One tip that long term couples give is that to maintain healthy relationships during a lockdown we should never go to bed angry. 

Sleep has a big role in our health – Physically, Mentally, and Emotionally. If you argue, speak to your partner and get into a healthy discussion. Don’t do it if you both are tired. Talk about it the next day but NEVER take the anger or the irritation from the argument to bed with you. This is one of the crucial ways to maintain a healthy relationship.

Enjoy the Fun, Together

A lot of couples get comfortable with each other after some time into a relationship. This is a big mistake and it happens with most of us. Couples get too comfortable to the extent that flirting and nice gestures no longer play a part in their relationship bond.

It’s nice to feel safe and grounded in a relationship, but remember to reward your partner for this surety with some spicy flirts and gestures you did in your early days of dating or marriage

You can do a lot of things to spice up your love life during this lockdown. Here are a few healthy relationship tips for couples :

• Have romantic candlelight dinner at home – One way to spice up the monotony is to ignite passion and romance in your meals. Have an intimate candlelight dinner with your partner during this lockdown
• Cook her / his favorite cuisine – Cooking doesn’t have to be boring. Cook something your partner loves. Your partner will love this gesture. 
• Watch that movie – Especially the one which you both saw together on your first movie date. a re-run of F.R.I.E.N.D.S will also work.
• Give a romantic massage – Nothing relives the mind and body after a long hectic day than a good body massage by the one you love.
• Do household chores together – Switch roles while doing household chores. Sometimes you cook, sometimes you do the laundry. Spread cleaning tasks across the week among both of you.
• Workout together through online sessions – There are many apps online which are providing online workout sessions. CULTFIT is one such service that you can look out for online workout sessions. 

… and many more (We would love to hear your experiences in the comment section below)

Relationships, work, family, and friends can be difficult to manage during this lockdown. By setting work-life boundaries and learning to say No, you will help strike a work-life balance – this will ensure you have room for your relationship to grow during this lockdown.

And yeah, Have Sex – Lots of it! Sex alone can reduce blood pressure, increase sleep, minimize stress, and even prevent prostate cancer!

Couples who have sex regularly say it not only enhances their relationship but also improves their health.

Enjoy Your “Me” Time

A lot of what makes couples in long-term relationships successful is the effort they still put into themselves as individuals. No matter what you see on film and television, nobody can fulfill all your needs. In reality, it can put undue pressure on your relationship to expect too much from your partner.

It is necessary to preserve your own identity outside your relationship to excite and enhance your romantic relationship with your partner, sustain connections with family and friends, and retain your hobbies and interests throughout your life.

Your personality, your interests, hobbies, your beliefs are the core traits that your partner fell in love within the first place. Losing any of these will not only mean losing yourself but losing your relationship’s meaning as well.

There can be nothing more boring during a quarantine than just sitting all day staring at each other without doing anything that you love. Remember, you don’t have to do everything together. That’s not what a relationship is.

Making sure that you indulge in your own interests and spend time with your friends over Whatsapp calls or Facetime, or doing whatever you might enjoy individually, assists to strengthen your relationship and build trust.

Conclusion

So, what are the topmost ways on how to maintain a healthy relationship under lockdown –

• Communication is KEY – Have effective communication with your partner
• Listening with your Ears and Heart – Relationships last long with partners listen to each other
• Stop the Guess Game – Don’t make your partner guess what you’re feeling. Tell them upfront
• Indulge in Healthy Discussions – Healthy discussions about disagreements strengthens the relationship bond
• Enjoy the Fun, Together – Do creative things to spice up your love life
• Enjoy Your “Me” Time – Enjoy your personal space and retain your personality, interests and hobbies

Hope you enjoyed our article on how to maintain a healthy relationship under lockdown. We would love to hear your thoughts on how you are coping in this quarantine and how is your relationship going on with your partner.

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Photo by Jasmine Wallace Carter from Pexels