We all know we could use more vacation time. A nice relaxing day at the beach, at a spa, or just taking a nice walk out. But something we almost never think about is vacation time for our relationship!
Just as a normal vacation is necessary for mental health, a couple’s vacation is incredibly important and helpful for a relationship. Think of it as a “more in-depth date night.”
Here are some of the main reasons why you need to plan some couple vacation time:
Ease the tension
Chances are, you and your partner are more stressed than you should be. But who can blame us, right? With work, family, school, kids, chores, bills, it’s all too much!
Taking some time off to go do something together can help ease the tension of everyday life, which, in turn, improves the quality of your time together.
Create some quality time together
Going off of the previous point, most of us are missing some much-needed quality time. And no, watching Netflix at night without talking doesn’t count as quality time.
Take this vacation time to do something you both enjoy and use that time to really reconnect with each other. Don’t talk about work, don’t talk about the kids, don’t talk about responsibilities. You’re on “us” time, not “them” time.
Sneak in some date nights
We’re sure you’re already aware of it, but it’s so important we feel we have to repeat it. Have date nights!
Date nights are a vital part of any relationship. Without it, it’s easy for our relationship to become stale, or, worse yet, deteriorate. Your partner becomes your roommate instead of your husband or wife.
Use this vacation time to plan at least one or two date nights where you will do something to reconnect and laugh together. Go out for dinner, a walk, to an event, or stay in and have your own date night at home. Not the best at planning date nights? There are date night boxes that have you covered!
Improve your health
Vacation time has been shown to improve heart health, blood pressure, and reduce stress, as well as having various other health benefits. Do you know what this means?
It means longer life, aka more time for couple time! Plus, it’s easier to stay fit than it is to get fit. So the earlier you start, the closer you are to being the 80-year-olds that run around the block instead of in a wheelchair!
Avoid future arguments
Have you ever felt so tense that you blew up at your partner for something that’s not their fault? This comes from letting the tension build up way longer than you should ever let it.
This ties back to our first point of easing tension. When you have less tension in your life, you have an easier time talking through problems with others and cooperating.
Take the time to set up your relationship for success later. You won’t regret it.
Conclusion
With over 200 million vacation days being completely forfeited a year in the US, it’s clear it can be hard to take some time to ourselves, much less for us and another person. But it’s very much worth prioritizing it.
Plan your PTO days to match with your honey and go on a little vacation together! It doesn’t have to be fancy or very long. You don’t have to go on a week-long cruise or stay at a resort. Even taking a long weekend and not worrying about any responsibilities for a few days while you order takeout can be a vacation in itself!
