Most couples begin their relationship with the highest of hopes as they envision smooth sailing for the rest of their lives. However, after only a few years (sometimes only weeks or months), many find themselves living with far greater distance in their intimate relationship than they ever imagined. They used to look forward to getting close to their mate, but it seems like any more getting close only leads to tension, frustration, and stress. And they definitely want to reduce their stress.
On a seemingly different topic, a recent report stated that checking email can lead to increased stress. In this particular study, one group of individuals was instructed to check their email only three times a day, while the other group was allowed to check email as frequently as they wanted. Those who constantly checked their email throughout the day experienced increased amounts of stress and agitation which spilled over into their relationship interactions.
On the other hand, those only looking at their inbox three times a day experienced the same level of stress reduction as those who use proven relaxation techniques. And as you would imagine, being more relaxed resulted in more productive and pleasurable dealings with other people.
So, today’s tip is a pretty simple encouragement: check your email less frequently, enjoy reduced stress and tension, and then work to get close to your partner. If you both will do this it might be a little easier to recapture some of that closeness you once had, with less stress at the same time.