Fitting Quality Time in to Busy Schedules

Everyone is busy. The standard answer to asking someone how they are seems to be “busy” followed by a sigh. This year My Handsome Man is on an intensive course, which means that he is often in school most of the day and then doing assignments when at home. My schedule is more flexible but the times I am busy and have commitments tend to be when he is at home.

Keeping up with busy schedules often means we’re struggling with tiredness and sometimes even exhaustion. Other things start to take a back burner so we can focus our time and energy on running round getting everything done. Sometimes it is our relationship that can be put on hold and when this happens I know I need to re-evaluate my priorities.

1- Assess whether or not everything needs to stay.

Are we making ourselves busy for the sake of being busy? Do we feel a sense of accomplishment and triumph as we answer that we’re busy? Being busy isn't necessarily a good thing. I love the days where we are both able to take some time out and just be.

Sometimes we need to slow down, clear our schedules and learn to say no to obligations. Of course there are obligations that can't be cut out of our schedules completely. At the very least, once in a while we need to take a day and have the chance to regroup and spend time together.

2- Eat together

We try so hard to have no phones at the table when we’re eating so we can talk. More often than not that talk is related to us and life. If he has a late day and I am starving and can’t wait for him to get home, I try to still sit with him while he eats, enjoying a hot drink and making conversation.

3- Bedtime together with no phones in bed

This can be so hard when schedules conflict. There have been many times where My Handsome Man needs to stay up to finish an assignment he’s struggled with, or is super tired following an early start so wants an early night. Regardless of whether or not we are both planning on staying in bed, when one of us goes to bed, the other will join even if it’s just for five minutes. We get to cuddle at the end of the day and turn to each other.

We used to get into bed and get out our phones. We’d lie beside each other, not talking, scrolling through social media or playing games. Not only is this super bad for encouraging sleep, but that’s time that could be spent with each other, focusing on the other person. Now we tend to read a chapter of our books and then stop for a cuddle. Often these five minutes before bed are the times of silliness and giggles. It’s probably my favourite time of the day.

4- Say goodbye and greet each other

I have said before on the blog that if I wake up and My Handsome Man isn’t there, I panic. Even if I know he’s at school. Before My Handsome Man leaves in the morning, he comes in to give me a kiss goodbye. If I am going out early and My Handsome Man is staying in bed, I do the same thing. We make a point of saying goodbye to each other before we leave the house.

When getting home in the evening it can be tempting to come in and collapse, or get straight on with a task or assignment without saying a word to each other. Instead we make an effort to welcome each other home, to have a hug and ask questions about the day. Even if it’s just a quick kiss hello as I try to stop myself from burning our dinner!

5- Put regular date nights into our schedules

Date nights really don’t have to be fancy. They don’t have to involve spending money or going out for the evening. At the moment our date nights consist of sitting down and watching a TV programme once a week on a day that My Handsome Man doesn’t have school. We spend time chatting about the TV programme and the way we want the programme to go. The best way for us is to have this night scheduled. I know that every Sunday evening, I will be sitting with My Handsome Man watching television. We often have treats and goodies to enjoy together. If we don’t spend another evening together in the week, we know that Sunday night is our night. We spend time doing things we both enjoy and just being together.

How do you fit quality time in to busy schedules?