Marriage Is Work, But It Gives Back

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The biggest part of leadership that we can all get better at is in our homes. It is a huge responsibility, but we can make it easier through making it the number one priority in our lives. Marriage is work, but the rewards from the work are plentiful. Just like anything else, you reap what you sow. It is up to you the amount of focus and energy you put into your relationships, but I do guarantee that you will get out of it what you put in. At some points in life, you feel the work more than other times. When things with your spouse are in harmony, everything else seems to fall into place. I don’t know about you, but I love these times in life! The goal should be to have these times more often.

A bad marriage doesn’t have to be the “norm” and it is time to stop accepting this as as an okay thing. We all can do better than mediocre, right? If excellence in our marriages is a major priority, then we should at least have a better plan to actually make this happen. So, here are the 3 main areas for you to put a little more focus on to make your relationship with your spouse better overnight:

1. Time

Devote more time to the most important person in your life; your spouse. Whether it is five more minutes a day, one more hour or a day per week. However busy your schedule is, you have the chance to make a bigger impact in your marriage. Think about your time and how you are spending it right now.

 

 

Is there a good balance to your life?

Where is your time going?

Does your family need you more?

How can you better your relationship with your spouse through giving him/her more time?

 

These are just questions to ponder, but I believe they are valid ones. With time becoming less and less due to our schedules becoming busier through more obligations and expectations from others, we have to prioritize our most important relationships more than ever before. Scheduling time with your spouse isn’t a bad idea, as it ensures that time is actually devoted to one of your biggest priorities, the relationship with your spouse.

2. Communication

For things to get better, you have to communicate. You can’t hold other people accountable for the things they do not know, because you haven’t communicated them. Talk openly with your spouse and listen to what they have to say. Your spouse will have insight into things that you haven’t even thought of before. Trust me, your spouse sees things that you don’t, or at least that has been my experience. My wife is intuitive beyond belief. It seems that God has given her that amazing ability, so I have learned to listen to her guidance, as it has proven to save me from different mistakes along the way.

Maybe you or your spouse have seen the same thing in the other person. Learn to listen and take your spouse’s knowledge to heart. You and your spouse are on the same team, so start acting like it. Grow that special relationship through communication.

3. Date Your Spouse

This point is one of the first things that gets neglected when we get busy, but it is an easy one to make happen. Time and communication are better spent when we are able to do these things during alone time. We all need to remember to have more fun, because it is. Start compiling a list together by finding things that you and your spouse both enjoy, so when the time comes your decisions have already been made for you and you can enjoy the time even more. Compiling this list together is a great discussion time and you build up the excitement of having your date time to look forward to.

 

The points listed will help you both connect with each other. I would say a good rule of thumb is that if there is something in your life that allows for “disconnect”, then it is at least worth a discussion on what needs to be done to solve the issue or even a discussion on how to connect more through that area could help. 90% of the time there is actually something that can be done to improve the situation.

My challenge to you is to begin focusing more attention on your home starting today. You and your family deserve it.

What is the one piece of helpful marriage advice that you give to others? You can leave your comment below.