Love In The Time Of Coronavirus: Keeping Your Relationship Alive During Lockdown
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Being in love might start off as a bed of roses, but it isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. Romantic relationships, like every other relationship, require a certain amount of dedication and hard work to maintain. Usually, you might see couples struggling to find quality time together. Things are a lot different than usual in 2020 because we are dealing with a pandemic.
Many countries, including India, have declared a lockdown in response to the coronavirus outbreak. In India, the initial lockdown period was 21 days and it has been extended to 3 May. In the height of social distancing and social isolation, the time we spend with family and our loved ones have increased drastically. It is worth taking a look at how it is affecting our relationships.
In some places, unfortunately, forced togetherness has caused many couples to grow apart than closer. Reportedly the divorce rates have increased along with the reports of domestic abuse and violence against women. If you are living in close quarters with your partner in this lockdown, here are a few tips that might come handy.
Use this period of isolation to nurture your relationship and transform it into one of kindness, empathy, and respect. How can you do that? Here are five aspects that you need to focus on:
1. Acceptance
Peace begins with acceptance. Acceptance of all things, of yourself, and of those around you. As long as you resist a certain characteristic of your partner or try to change them constantly, you are not making space for the fundamental element of our being, which is acceptance. Also, try to accept the way things are. None of us planned for this outbreak to happen. Neither did we want to be locked away from society for a prolonged time. Yet, that is the reality, and we need to face it. The sooner, the better. If you find yourself irritated, annoyed, or impatient, take a deep breath and tell yourself that this is how it is for now.
2. Communication
If your feelings of frustration and annoyance are getting stronger by the day, then it is not a good idea to bottle it up. If your frustration has to do with a particular habit of your partner or something that they do, make sure that you let them know. Your partner is counting on you for their growth as a person. Use the lockdown to build trust and develop healthy communication between the two of you. Learning to speak to your partner may not come naturally. It is a skill that needs practice. Do not be disheartened if you don’t meet with success right away. Be patient and trust the process.
3. Empathy
We often fail to see the importance of empathy in a relationship. Two people sharing a household, and responsibilities and duties that come along with it need to learn to empathize with each other. We are imperfect. We sometimes fail to come through. At those times, instead of putting the blame on yourself or your partner, empathize. Show compassion and be more tolerant. Imagine yourself in their shoes before you react to a given situation. If they were unequivocally wrong, try to make them understand why.
4. Expectations
Following the same line of thought, we may all fall short sometimes. Keep that in mind, when you set expectations. Be realistic. Don’t expect your partner to be perfect, or keep you happy at all times. They can only add to the happiness and cheer that already exists in your life. Especially if you are spending too much time together indoors, you might easily get carried away. Keep your plans in check. Talk to your partner about what works and what doesn’t.
5. Space
Spend time together and spend time apart. Share responsibilities and undertake your own projects that you feel passionate about. Not everything has to be about partnership. Stay the well-rounded person that your partner fell in love with. Inspire them to grow too. Have a designated space for each person. Draw up separate routines for work and for leisure. For your relationship to be strong, you must learn to stand apart yet together.
This was a short but not an exhaustive list of aspects to keep in mind while trying to prevent your relationship from falling apart. If you feel that things are going sideways and harmful at any point, remember that you can always reach out to a professional over the phone or on the internet. It is not your obligation to endure. Stay active, stay productive, and, more importantly, stay home and stay safe.
How are you and your partner spending time during this lockdown? Let us know in the comments.
