Do you want to feel more connected with your partner? Are you finding it difficult to make time for each other amid the chaos of work schedules, family obligations, and personal self-care? Just like we can experience burnout at work, we’re also at risk of experiencing burnout in our most sacred relationships.
Honoring ‘togetherness’ is one of the most important priorities you can have to ensure your relationship health. Research shows that couples who enjoy a date night once a week are 3.5x more likely to indicate being “very happy” in their relationships compared to those who spend less quality time with their partners.
That said, the best dates don’t need to involve extensive planning or money. Let’s dive into some easy date night ideas to try this week!
Cook Dinner Together
Cooking a meal together is undoubtedly romantic. However, it also entails sharpening your communication and partnership skills. Cooking requires planning and divvying up labor- and then assessing how well you did at the task!
Start by sitting down together and browsing through your favorite cookbooks or websites. If time allows, select an appetizer, entree, and dessert. If you’re on more of a time crunch, simplify the evening with with just an entree. Make a grocery list together and get shopping!
To make the date more meaningful, consider setting the table with some candles or special flowers. Turn off the phones and TV. It’s just you, your partner and a conversation over your delicious meal.
Take A Day Trip
Vacations are fun, but they naturally require planning, money and time off from work. Day trips provide the same fun- without all the legwork.
Aim to find a destination within a two-hour driving distance. Go online and look up the best restaurants, excursions and ‘things to do’ in that area. Make a brief itinerary (like you would for a trip), grab some of your favorite snacks and hit the road!
Or, if you want to make things more spontaneous, plug the destination into your GPS, get in the car and figure out the day as you go! Don’t forget to snap photos and find a silly souvenir.
Make An At-Home Spa Night
Busy couples often find it challenging to enjoy some much-needed relaxation. Unfortunately, heading out to the spa can be time-consuming and costly. But that doesn’t mean you can’t create your own peaceful ambiance at home.
To prep, grab a few scented candles and massage lotions and oils. Download a relaxing song playlist for the evening. Each partner receives a 20-minute, uninterrupted massage from the other partner. Afterward, take an indulgent soak in the bath together. Break out the fancy bath bubbles and have your favorite beverage ready on hand.
You’ll both feel appreciated, connected and ready for a good night's sleep!
Try A Class Together
Did you know that novelty is good for the brain, and that it also makes us happier and healthier? That’s because new experiences evoke a rush of dopamine, and that neurotransmitter makes us experience more pleasure.
Capitalize on the dopamine and share it with your partner by learning something new together. What about a dance class? Or a beer-brewing lesson? How about signing up to learn a new language?
Remember that having fun and going out of your comfort zone is the takeaway of this date. It’s not about how good or successful you are at the activity.
Enjoy Late Night Dessert
If you have young kids or packed work schedules, it can be hard to carve out several hours for date night. What about trying to carve out a single hour?
This is one of the simplest date night ideas anyone can enjoy. All you need to do is pick a yummy treat at your favorite ice cream shop, bakery or local diner.
If you can’t sneak away from the house, pick up something on your way home for you both to enjoy later. Make the occasion special by breaking out your fancy china or pairing the sweet with your favorite wine.
Volunteer Together
Volunteering boasts several impressive benefits including improved self-esteem, high levels of happiness and even longer life spans. Doing it together means you both get to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Spend some together and draft out the societal issues or causes that have the most meaning to you. Maybe it’s environmental preservation and restoration. Perhaps it’s youth risk management. From there, check to see what community events exist in your area.
Remember that there isn’t a ‘right-or-wrong’ way to volunteer. Even if you can only devote an hour or so, that’s an hour you’re giving to people and causes who genuinely need your help.
The Best Date Night Ideas For Your Relationship
Feeling stuck with your date night ideas? If you’ve been together for many years, it’s normal for that to happen. Consider having both you and your partner write down ideas (as they arise) on a slip of paper to stick in a jar. Once a week, draw from the jar. There you go! You have your next adventure.
Do you need some additional support in your relationship? Feeling a little bored and looking for ways to create MORE in your life? I specialize in working with women who are looking for ways to improve their relationship and their quality of life. Contact me to learn more about the process.