If you're married, it's extremely important to spend quality time with your spouse. Now, this doesn't mean simply eating dinner with them during the week. It isn't even referring to your weekly hot tub adventures. Get out of your normal “quality time” routine, and head out of town for something a bit more meaningful.
If you've been married to your partner for a long time, or if you're just starting out, taking the time out of your busy schedules to be with each other is key. By taking the time every once in a while for a getaway with your spouse, you're helping to rekindle a potentially withering flame. Even if that “flame” is going strong, you want to keep it that way.
Living together is one thing, but Chatelaine says that traveling is a completely different ball game. When it comes to taking trips, it's inevitable that there will be some stressors. These stressors will include where to park, how to get from point A to point B, and remembering who was supposed to hold onto the room key. If you can get through a trip together, you can get through anything.
When taking a vacation with your significant other, there are a few things you need to do to have a successful trip.
Take a break from your devices.
Telling work that you won't be responding to emails and having your spouse turn their phone on silent will give you both he quality time you need. Forbes says that without the added stressors of what's going on back home, you'll truly be able to enjoy each others company. Now, if you're going to come up with the excuse that you won't be able to take pictures without your phone, you can use your device for that. Just as long as you mute all of your notifications and disable your emails.
Understand you'll be spending a lot of time together.
One of the most important things you can do is understand that you both have your flaws. While spending such close time together during the trip, your flaws are bound to stand out. Let's say you have a problem with “backseat driving” and your spouse isn't really big on asking for directions. As long as you both agree that your flaws won't get in the way of your good time, things will go well. If you personally know of any flaws that might show up unexpectedly during the trip, alert your partner ahead of time so they're aware. If you fear that one of you driving might rock the boat, take a motorcoach instead. Motorcoaches account for 751,000,000 passenger trips taken each year and can take a lot of travel stress off of both of you.
Savor the small things!
My Fitness Pal has the best advice for what you should do on your trip. That advice says that you should savor every moment. At the end of the day, who cares if you got lost and who cares that getting lost took you an extra 40 minutes to get to the destination? Be grateful you had those extra 40 minutes to problem solve with your significant other. Then once you finally get to relaxing, you can sit back and laugh about it!
Don't forget to actually relax.
In tandem with savoring the small things, you should make sure you actually have time to relax. Is there a hot tub in your hotel? Take the time to actually go for a soak! Who knows? It just might encourage you to invest in a hot tub for your home as a small slice of this perfect getaway. Considering a quality hot tub costs $5,000 to $15,000 for a lifetime of relaxation, you just might never leave!
When you're married, it's extremely important to take time to spend with your spouse. Getting out there and exploring new places can really strengthen your relationship. Just as long as you're armed with ways to make the trip successful.
I totally think that my husband and I need to spend some more quality time together. It’s hard to find that time, but we totally need to make it!
My husband and I haven’t been on a solo vacation in a while, but you make great points that married couples need to spend quality time together. We have babies though, actual crying can’t talk babies, and we don’t want to leave them. So…. we make vacation plans with my grandma. I know it sounds unromantic, but we get to have the kids close by and still enjoy nights out because she stays in and watches them! I think it’s a great idea to travel with your partner, not just when you first start out or waiting until retirement. 🙂
Love this. It’s been so long since I’ve had just a me + S/O vacation. I would need some practice.
These are very good reminders on how to maximize that vacation with your spouse. My husband and I make sure that we spend little time on our gadgets when we’re on vacation and just enjoy each other’s company.
I love this – unplug and relax ! YESS.
I could use a vacay right now lol
I love this. This is certainly something that my husband and I need to do. It’s been so long since we went away just the two of us. I love the part about turning off notifications. I feel like I can constantly hear the alert for an email from both our phones even when they aren’t around.
It seems so obvious but that reminder to actually relax is so key! Travel can be stressful and if you let it take away from your moments to enjoy it, you can’t get that time back
It’s been about 12 years since my husband and I have been away on a romantic getaway together. We are well due for one!
take a break from your devices: yes, yes yes!! Sometimes as a blogger I get caught up in my phone and forget to appreciate the moment. Making memories without the interruption of your cellphone is so important. These are great tips 🙂 thanks!
Great advice for all lengths of marriage! Keeping the romance in a marriage is hard and sometimes feels like a chore, but it is all worth it in the end.
I seriously need to do this right now with my hubby! I love your advice!
This is so sweet 🙂 I think we all almost assume that vacations will be relaxing, but we forget sometimes that relaxation comes after a little bit of effort! When I’m able to save up for a vacation with the hubby, I’ll remember this post!
Whether it’s with a significant other, friends, or family, I sooo agree that taking a break from phones is a major factor of having a meaningful time together. My friends and I like to pile our phones in the middle of the table when we go out to eat together — first one to crack has to pay for dessert!
My husband and I make an effort to put away all electronics for at least one hour of everyday. It makes a huge difference and I am so thankful for that time. That said we tend to forget the rule on Vacation and that’s definitely not the time to be forgetting!
This comes at a perfect time because we are leaving for the DR soon! It’s inevitable for us to have some sort of fight on vacation, so I need to let the little things go.
Traveling is a great way to spend quality time with your spouse. Sometimes you just need to get away from the stress of every day to reconnect and enjoy each other. It’s important to plan the trip together so you make sure both people have fun and doing activities they each like.
I need a hubby and me only vacation! Unplugging is my favorite part too! No phones, no email, just connecting and enjoying some kid free time!
My husband and I have been married for almost 20 years. We have never taken a romantic vacation! I need these kids to grow up so we can take one!
My husband and I have a few romantic trips/getaways planned this year. Except for photos and contact with our kids we’ve both agreed to put the devices away almost the entire time.
Amazing tips! I can’t wait for the hubby and I to be able to take a romantic get away. I think it’s just what we need and would be greatly appreciated!
My Hubby and I are so overdue for a romantic vacation it isn’t funny! We haven’t had a trip that was just us since before my 9 year old was born. I will have to take these tips into consideration when we finally get to have another one!
It is so hard to go go to a romantic vacation and living our kid behind, as a mother, it breaks my heart. But so true, it is a must for couple to do it once in a while.
My husband a nd I have such different ideas about what makes a good vacation. I think the idea of a romantic trip away terrifies us.
Awesome advice. As I type this, hubby and I are in New Orleans for a weekend getaway without the kids. I am on my device per se, because he is sleeping. But, I plan on just enjoying each other and the city once we venture out of bed.
Thrifting Diva
http://www.thriftingdiva.com
Goodness we need a trip away without our children! Actually though my husband and I have an overnight stay nearby planned this weekend to celebrate our anniversary. I’m very much looking forward to a night away and hope to be off our electronics.
I love this so much. It’s so hard to get away with kids so you definitely need to make the best of every moment.