Communication is one of the toughest things in life to maintain. Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, whether it’s your brother or best friend, it’s hard to find the time to keep everyone in the loop. A romantic relationship can be even harder. When you’re around someone day in day out, it can be easy to ignore the little things which can, in turn, lead to a build-up of problems between you and your partner.
It’s true what they say. Communication is key, trust us. We’ve teamed up with headspace for our Swipe Right series to give you some tips on how to keep the comms strong between you and your boo.
#1 Ask Questions
You really should be asking your partner questions about their day among other aspects of their life. But sometimes we can get slack on the whole thing. The simplest way to improve your communication is to ask how their day went. But don’t accept a monotonous ‘yeah, it was good’ answer. Dig deeper. Set aside time to have a proper conversation about your days, maybe when you eat dinner, or whilst you get ready for bed. If you’re getting a lot of yeah/nah answers, then try open questions that will get explained answers. Try something like, Why was it just okay and not good?, What are you really liking about work at the moment?, Why do you like/dislike that at the moment?.
#2 Listen To Them
Busy lives lead to a lot of focus around our own activity, especially when you’re juggling uni with a job or two. But it’s important to listen to your partner. I mean really listen. No ‘mm’ or ‘yeah, sure’ answers here. I’m talking about really processing what your partner has to say and responding accordingly and sincerely, no matter how big or small the topic. For example, try rephrasing some feedback as a question – ie So if I’m getting it correctly, you’re feeling way too stressed with assignments?.
#3 Find Solutions: Talk It Through
A lack of communication in your relationship may lead to further issues down the road. If you don’t learn to talk through a problem when it arises, you can both escalate things in your head that were pretty insignificant to start with. If you communicate well daily and talk about the small things, bigger conversations won’t seem as scary. And by talking it through *like adults*, you’re more likely to find a solution there and then. Don’t get me wrong, this can be tough – but start with small questions, and you’ll be having strong, meaningful chats in no time. Happy days.
#4 Take A (Mini) Device Detox
Make a rule for yourselves to put down your phone whilst you’re with each other (turns out you already spend way too much time on that phone). Of course, it’s fine to scroll through a handful of times a day, but by constantly staring at your screen, you’re cutting out all communication. And it’s not just about talking to each other, it’s body language too. Even if you’re just watching your favourite show together, shut your screens off, ’cause Netflix counts as bonding time as well.
#5 Spread The Love
There’s nothing better than hearing someone tell you they love you, that they like something about you, or that you look good. Voicing your love and affection in a relationship is something that often falls through the cracks after having gone through that ‘honeymoon period’. But by communicating your affection for your partner, you’re making them feel good and fingers crossed, they’ll do the same for you.
Good chats are basically the best trait when it comes to a proper, worthwhile relationship. But everyone can find it pretty damn tough at times, so you’re not alone. Check out these tips from headspace that’ll help you even more in making sure you communicate like legends. Get on the same wavelength and it’ll be super rewarding.
