Tina and Will had full-time jobs and lots of scheduled activities with their two children and a multitude of friends. The problem was, they didn’t make enough time for each other.
After work they ran their children to several sports and other activities, kept up with extended family and friends, even volunteered for several events at church and their children’s school. By the end of the day, they hardly had energy to say good night, let alone share their lives through good communication or intimacy. Because of this, as time went by, Tina and Will had very little in common emotionally, socially, spiritually, or in any other area, and their relationship rarely reached levels of true intimacy.
How can you avoid the pitfalls of over-scheduling and over-committing yourselves as a couple? A good place to start is by looking at your priorities.
Healthy priorities should align with God’s priorities for your life—God, spouse, family, work, in that order—if you want maximum rewards of a great marriage. And your priorities as a couple should be compatible. One of you can’t decide to hang out with your single friends every weekend while the other sits home alone. Compromise and come to a mutual agreement, realizing that sometimes you may need to get counsel from others.
As time passes and your lives change, additional responsibilities and duties will inevitably come. That’s why it’s so important now to understand the value of setting aside time to connect, communicate, and be available when you need each other.
And as you address the roles, responsibilities, duties, and decisions of daily life, work together as a team to get tasks, chores, and jobs done in a fair and appropriate manner. This will make your daily lives peaceful, pleasant, and productive.
How do you avoid over-scheduling? I’d love to know!
*Adapted from Countdown for Couples: Preparing for the Adventure of Marriage. Copyright © 2014, all rights reserved. Visit www.SusanGMathis.com for more.
