When you’re living with someone you love, it can feel just about heavenly. The chance to wake up and go to bed with that special someone, spend the day together, and get more and more wrapped up in one another is irresistible. In time, you may even begin to feel a desire to get even closer, and perhaps pick up some of your significant other’s hobbies.
For the most part, this is all good and exciting, and perfectly understandable. At the same time though, too much one-on-one time, and too much immersion in one another’s hobbies, can have a negative effect as well. It’s generally accepted that having some measure of “me time” or time to pursue your own interests independently is healthy for a relationship. As an article at Psychology Today put it, being okay with yourself is essential to being okay with others. That means maintaining the freedom and desire to spend time “doing your own thing” now and then.
Finding that “me time” is a little bit difficult, however, when you’re not only living with someone else but cooped up during long periods of isolation! Now, by this point the worst of the pandemic is (we hope) behind us. But many are still spending more time at home than usual, and plenty are still rightfully cautious about “getting back to normal.” This begs the question, however, of how you can find some healthy “me time” and personal hobby options when you’re cooped up with your partner.
Lucky for you, we have some helpful suggestions!
Zoom With The Family
Yes, yes, the whole Zoom phenomenon fizzled a little bit. “Zoom fatigue” is a real thing, and many of us experienced it throughout 2020 and into the early months of 2021. That said, if you’re spending the majority of your time at home — and with one other person — it’s still a pretty useful way to connect with other people on your own terms! Every now and then, try to occupy a space in your home privately, or even take a laptop outside, to hop on a video chat with family (or close friends for that matter). It may not be the “real thing,” but it allows you to enjoy some social activity on your own, and with someone other than your significant other. Even if you’re in a perfect relationship, it can be surprisingly refreshing.
Play Online Games
Lots of people turned to gaming as an outlet in 2020 and into 2021. Indeed, as a piece by QZ.com put it, the pandemic “turned everyone into gamers” — an assertion backed up by massive spikes in video game business over the course of the year. And the bottom line is, it was a great option for a lot of people, and remains so! Particularly if you’re cooped up with one other person, the chance to isolate for a little bit and dive into a video game can serve as a sort of personal and social reset. There’s something to be said for disappearing into a game entirely on your own just for a bit of escapism. But you can also get some much-needed social activity through any of a number of social, multiplayer games available today.
Have An Online Poker Night
As a sort of tangent to the online gaming idea, you might also consider jumping into the occasional online poker night! A lot of people are under the mistaken impression that online poker is more or less prohibited, and per Poker.org it’s true that just five states have legal poker with actual, cash betting. But the truth is that so long as you’re not betting with real money, there is no widespread prohibition. Indeed, there are plenty of available, reputable online platforms that allow you to set up remote games with friends and simply enjoy some “play-money” poker. Whether or not it’s your game, so to speak, there’s just something about online poker that feels a little bit more like a social occasion — as if you’ve met some friends for a drink, an activity, and some conversation. And as most people in successful relationships will tell you, those kinds of nights are important to enjoy now and then!
Go For Walks & Runs
Switching gears away from technology a little bit, you can also get that much-needed “me time” simply by going for a walk or run on your own. A lot of couples, particularly if they’re in newer relationships, will feel an urge to work out together. Of course, that’s absolutely fine to do. But heading out for a walk or run is also a great opportunity to spend some time with yourself, and reset a little bit. It’s also a good time to catch up on some favorite podcasts or listen to a go-to playlist (particularly if your partner doesn’t necessarily share your taste in these areas!). And if you’re just getting back into the swing of things after not working out much through the bulk of the pandemic, take a tip from our ‘How To Be Healthy’ post and start by buying yourself some new gear. It’s a nice treat, and you’ll actually look forward to wearing it –– which will motivate you to go ahead and start that routine.
Cook By Yourself
Cooking together can be a surprisingly intimate activity that a lot of couples value greatly. Indeed, a piece at Elite Daily years back went as far as to proclaim that couples who cook together stay together! It’s an understandable argument. Cooking is a shared experience that involves learning, communication, and satisfaction, and it can certainly draw people closer together. When you’re largely isolated with one person though, cooking can also become invaluable “me time.” Lots of people see it as a way to unwind and calm the mind. Plus, even if you take on the actual cooking by yourself, you’ll likely find some joy in preparing a meal that your partner will ultimately enjoy with you.
It’s entirely wonderful to get wrapped up in your partner when living together. But even in normal times, it’s still a good idea to pursue some of your own interests and prioritize a bit of time with yourself. These suggestions are a few great ways to check those boxes, and we’re confident your relationship will be even stronger for the effort.
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