3 REASONS WHY YOU NEED TO PUT YOUR SPOUSE ON YOUR TO-DO LIST

It’s a reality of today’s society that people are on the go more than ever.

Stephen Covey wants you to learn 7 habits to be highly successful, Deepak Chopra wants you to meditate, and James Altrucher wants you to be an entrepreneur.

But, what about the person we vowed to share their life with? With so many demands on time, it is often your spouse that gets the short straw.

Right now, nearly 41% of all first marriages end in divorce and that number skyrockets to 60% for second marriages.

Clearly, as a society we need to take a look at our priorities – those precious to-do lists.

Why You Need to Put Your Spouse on Your To-Do List

Have Shared Goals/Vision

Have you ever sat down with your spouse and asked what they want out of life?

What do they see themselves doing in 5, 10, 15 years? 

Depending on the age of your spouse, the answers may vary from travel to owning a business. You might even be surprised to learn what they envision for themselves. 

If you don’t want the insecurity of running a business, for instance, you need to plan together what that looks like. Or, one of you will inevitably be frustrated with the relationship. 

These goals and visions for your life and marriage goes both ways. 

You can’t decide to quit your job and join the circus if your spouse isn’t willing to walk that tightrope with you. 

Check-in with your spouse every so often about what you both want out of life and where you are headed as a couple.  

Couples That Spend Time Together – Stay Together

There is some evidence to support the fact that infidelity is the most common cause of divorce. But, infidelity is just a symptom of a larger issue that happened long before the actual act was committed. 

This is often the result of couples spending too much time apart. 

Some of you may work long hours, over focus on the children, or participate in hobbies that take you away from connecting with your spouse. 

When this happens for a long period of time problems are going to arise.

Feelings of abandonment, loneliness, and under-appreciation are a just a few feelings that may be experienced by your spouse. 

It is vitally important to stay connected with your spouse through dedicated time together.  

Communication Will Bring You Closer

The routine drives the machine of your daily life.  

You get up, eat a little something, get ready, go to work, come home (tired), eat a little more, and turn off your brain in front of the television.

That is, unfortunately, a typical day for a lot of people. 

You need to make sure to break up the routine from time-to-time. 

Schedule time to talk to your spouse!  Yes, pull out your calendars and put down 10-30 minutes when you are going to talk.

Turn off the TV, phones, tablets and any other distraction. 

By doing this you communicate to your spouse that they are the number one priority – even when you are tired and ready to call it a day. 

You will certainly learn things about your spouse that you didn’t know and be more in tune with how they are feeling and what they are doing. 

Plus, it shows that you care. Little efforts of kindness and compassion can go a long way.

So, make sure when you are planning out your day, you put your spouse at the top of you to-do list. 

You will be happy that you did.

For more advice on how to strengthen your marriage, check out He Zigs, She Zags: Get Your Communication on the Same Path today!