The couples that clean together, stay together.
A relationship counselor suggests that the key to sustaining a joyful romantic partnership lies in performing everyday chores alongside your partner.
“By sharing even the smallest chores, you demonstrate mutual respect and equality,” Dr. Hannah Lawson, who has over 12 years of experience in couples therapy and behavioral psychology, explained to the Daily Mail.
Interestingly, Lawson states that simple actions like setting the table or doing the dishes together can hold more significance and influence in a relationship than grand romantic gestures.
Usually, when one person in the relationship, oftentimes the woman, is left to check things off the household to-do list by themselves, feelings of resentment build up.
When trivial tasks are performed by two people, it not only empowers a couple to feel like a team working together, but it also serves as an opportunity for two people to have meaningful conversations side-by-side.
“Think of it as a small daily ritual that pays you back with trust, respect, and a stronger emotional connection,” the expert told the outlet.
For happiness in a relationship, aside from doing dishes together, a study revealed that moments of silence with your significant other could be a sign of a healthy relationship.
“Consider two exchanges between romantic partners: They look into each other’s eyes sharing intimacy and mutual understanding, or, a glance instead expresses judgment and displeasure as now they achieve a shared understanding that one partner has let down the other,” authors of a study published in the journal Motivation and Emotion wrote.
“In both instances, nothing is said, yet much is communicated.”
To come to this interesting conclusion, a team of researchers at the University of Reading conducted four different studies to learn how silent moments can influence relationships.
One group of study participants was asked to recall the last time they had a moment of silence between them and their partner and what caused it.
Another group was asked the same thing, but only if it happened in a previous unhealthy relationship. These study participants were also asked how the silent moment came about and how it made them feel.
Based on the responses, moments of silence that seemed malicious brought out negative feelings — while natural silence was associated with intimacy and closeness.
