Simple Ways to Improve Marital Communication

2014-11-26 17:52:18 CPCC Blogging Team

Being married means that you have a partner for everything in life. However, with all the stress of everyday life, it can be easy to feel rushed or too pressured to properly invest time and energy in your marital relationship. Communication problems are one of the most common problems in marriages, and can lead to more serious ones. Keep these tips in mind to help improve communication in your marriage.

• Listen – listening is one of the most important parts of communication. Listening will help you understand what your spouse is feeling and going through. Also, keep in mind that good listeners also get listened to.
• Be genuinely interested in what your spouse is saying – this has to be a conscience choice. While you may not be particularly interested in what they are saying, you should be interested in them and how the situation made them feel.
• Reinforce your love – especially if you have been married for a long time, it can be easy to lose the romance. Make sure to work on your relationship each day and plan alone time together. Small things like a handwritten note will remind them how much you love them and can go a long way.
• Turn off the TV– unless you are watching a specific show together, turn the TV off. TV is just background noise that helps to distract you from important issues.
• Do not multi-task – whenever you are talking or listening to your spouse, make sure that they have your full attention. Do not look at your phone or computer. If you have to make a call or send an email, ask them to hold on for a second so that you can give them your full attention after.
• Work on you – if you are not happy with yourself, you cannot be happy with your spouse, leading to broken communication.

For more help improving the communication in your marriage, contact Community Presbyterian Counseling Center in San Ramon, California.  

Couples