5 Communication Tips For Couples
Being able to communicate with your partner is one of the most important aspects of a relationship. Whether you’ve been with your partner for years or you’re new to the relationship, being cognizant of your communication skills can only strengthen the two of you as a couple.
These skills will take time and commitment from you and your partner to ensure you’re making positive changes, but ultimately it’s worth the work. Doing this will help you maintain a healthy relationship and open lines of communication.
Throughout this article, we will discuss communication tips to help you improve or maintain healthy communication as a couple.
Compromise
Instead of automatically saying "no" to something, try to be more descriptive or offer an alternative solution. This could include trying to explain why you’re unable to say yes to what your partner is asking you to do. Being able to compromise is a key to effective communication in any relationship.
An example of compromising might include your partner asking you if you’d like to go to a movie on Friday night, but you’re unable to do so for whatever reason. Instead of saying no, explain why and offer another day or time option. When you give your partner a compromise, it not only shows that you care but that you’re trying your best to make their request work
Listen Well
Understanding what your partner is saying to you before responding is important. When you’re an active listener, you’re taking time to think about what was said and respond more critically instead of preplanning your next response.
It can be difficult to put into practice, but listening to understand allows you to focus on the message from your partner. When you listen to respond, you might miss or misunderstand something, leading to further conflict. You can participate in active listening by:
Turning your phone off, putting it away or out of sight.
Maintaining a positive attitude.
Make eye contact with your partner when they’re speaking to you. Avoid using harsh facial expressions or rolling your eyes as you do this.
Avoid distractions like a television, computer, other family members, or pets.
Be open-minded
Make an effort to understand your partners, words and feelings. While it may be difficult for some to be empathetic or sympathetic, it’s important to be there for your partner. Even if you’re unable to relate to how your partner is feeling, it’s important to be supportive instead of judgmental. This can be done by not challenging how they're feeling because you can't relate.
You can also ask questions. This will help show that you’re involved and engaged in the conversation and that you care about how they’re feeling.
Make time for each other.
Dedicate a set amount of time each to your partner. Give yourselves a date night once a month or find other ways to connect; it’s important to make time in your relationship to communicate.
The key here is to make sure you’re taking the time and effort to be aware of what each other has going on and that you take time to connect.
Be thoughtful of your words.
Always try to think about what you want to say before you say it. Take time to stop and think about what you want to say and how you want to say it. You want to consider how your partner will receive and react to what you’re going to say. Also, make sure your words are clear, concise, and not full of extra emotion or exaggeration.
Whether you and your partner have strong communication skills or need improvement, hopefully, the tips above can help you improve your communication and overall relationship. Feel free to reach out to learn more about couples therapy and how it can help you succeed.