After years of your spouse frequently traveling for work, you may have noticed the physical distance is putting a strain on your relationship. No matter how much you and your husband love each other, it’s easy to wonder how the long-distance relationship will affect your relationship.Â
Rest assured long-distance relationships can thrive, not just survive! Most couples have experienced long-distance at some point in their relationship and can confirm geographical separation is both challenging and rewarding. However, there are always ways to improve a heavily traveling relationship and create a solid emotional bond with your spouse that travels all the time.Â
We at Lovebox hope our tips will strengthen your emotional bond and help improve your heavily traveled relationship for a sweeter, loving relationship that can withstand whatever life may bring!Â
1. Practice Active Listening
Active listening simply means you are all ears when your partner is talking. When you are actively listening, your partner knows your focus is on what they are saying. They know their thoughts and feelings are important to you and your relationship. When your spouse or partner travels all the time, it’s easy to feel unheard, but if you both begin by making a conscious effort to listen to each other actively, then your relationship will thrive for years to come!Â
2.Maintain a Consistent Schedule to Chat
Knowing you will always talk at a particular time helps maintain a sense of stability in your relationship. Of course, there may be times when one of you must cancel, but overall, those moments should be sacred to you and your partner. When you don’t get to see each other much, it’s essential to know when you will chat and catch up on each other's lives!Â
3.Take Advantage of Video Chats
Thanks to modern technology, we have communication tools available to us 24/7! Take full advantage of the opportunity to see each other face-to-face through Skype or Facetime. Through video chats, you can enjoy your morning cup of coffee together or say goodnight right before you both are about to get some shut-eye. If time zone differences are an issue, coordinate one person saying good morning and the other saying goodnight.Â
4.Keep Up With Their Travels
Do some research on where your partner is traveling. Talk to them about exciting things you read about and encourage them to see them. Then, when they share about the places they went to, you’ll be able to talk to them about it. Finding ways to have more shared connections, such as learning about where they are traveling, keeps you connected on a deeper emotional level and keeps your love strong when you are apart physically.Â
5. Set Clear Rules and Expectations
Decide as a couple what situations and boundaries both of you feel comfortable abiding by when the other person is not around. The idea behind rules and guidelines is not to keep you from having fun but to protect your relationship and put your partner’s thoughts and feelings first.Â
6. Use Caution When Using Social Media
Social media can be a fantastic tool for couples apart for long periods. You can send each other memes, tag each other in articles you want to read, and enjoy your memories together as they pop up on your timeline.Â
However, it’s best not to do anything on social media that would hurt your partner’s feelings. For example, staying out of situations that could threaten your relationship helps maintain trust and a sense of security.Â
7. Learn To Address Issues and Resolve Conflict While Apart
It’s easy to ignore minor issues or struggles while your partner travels all the time because you convince yourself it would be better to discuss sensitive topics or issues in person. However, the longer you ignore the minor problems, the more likely more significant issues will arise in their place.Â
Learning to share uncomfortable matters on the phone takes practice; however, you’ll both be glad you did. It takes time learning to share, but you don’t want your time in-person spent overshadowed by an unaddressed conflict.Â
8. Find Ways To Spend Time Together, Apart
Finding things you can do as a couple helps you feel connected. Of course, it’s essential to have individual hobbies. However, finding ways to bond improves your relationship, whether playing video games together, listening to the same playlist, or reading the same book. Finding something that you both enjoy helps you and your partner increase cohesion and bond over shared experiences.
Are you having trouble identifying activities to do remotely but together? We have you covered with some of our favorite long-distance couple activities, including:
- Playing online games together.Â
- Streaming the same movie or T.V. show.
- Trying the same cuisine and talking about your experience.
- Beginning the planning of your next vacation together and sharing what you have researched.Â
- Using the same workout program and keeping each other accountable.Â
- Watching the sunset or sunrise with each other through video chat.Â
Spending time together, apart, doesn’t have to be complicated. If both of you are having fun, then you’ve already on the right path to improving your relationship!
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9. Support Each Other’s Hopes and Dreams
As challenging as it may be to spend long days and nights apart, always encourage each other to follow their dreams. Supporting your partner’s strengths and interests helps promote a loving, healthy relationship.Â
When you and your partner are satisfied in both their personal and professional life, your connection will thrive in the knowledge that you both can pursue your goals and interests and have a secure attachment together.Â
10. Have a Long Term Written Down
One of the best things you can do to improve your heavy traveling relationship is to have a written plan for your future. For example, maybe your partner is working on moving up in the company, and then when promoted, they will travel much less often. Whatever the case may be, as long as you have both discussed your long-term goals as a couple, then you will be prepared to overcome any challenges along the way.Â
Anyone who has been in a long-distance relationship knows how challenging it can be when your partner travels all the time. However, the good news is when you have a written plan, the most difficult days of being apart from each other will seem like the blink of an eye. A little hope can go a long way in a long-distance relationship!Â
11. Look for the Positives in Your Relationship
Keep in mind there are many positives to a relationship when one or both of you travel frequently! For instance, when your partner travels a lot for work, you get the opportunity to miss each other genuinely. Another added positive is the time apart can keep a strong physical attraction stronger than if you spend every day together. So, when you finally see each other, you get to enjoy a sweet reunion and appreciate the time you have together.Â
12.Get Creative With Communication
If you are getting bored with FaceTime and email, then get your long-distance spouse a Lovebox for Lovers to send each other sweet love notes, pictures, stickers, and postcards. It’s small enough for them to take with them on their travels easily, yet powerful enough to deliver instant expressions of love and affection from a distance!Â
Simply create your personalized love message for your partner who travels all the time—you can schedule your note ahead if you need to!—then send your message through the app. When your loved one receives the message, the heart on their Lovebox for Lovers will spin, letting them know they have a note. Then, they can send you back a waterfall of hearts after opening your message!Â
Summary
Improving a relationship when one or both of you is frequently traveling is doable! If both of you are willing to make the sacrifices necessary for each other to reach their personal and professional goals, anything is possible!
Make sure to practice active listening, maintaining a consistent schedule, and communicating when problems arise. Continue to find new and fun activities to do together while you’re apart, including new ways to send each other love notes!
By implementing our above tips, you will be on your way to improving your heavy traveling relationship and creating an emotionally connected, loving relationship.Â
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Sources:
Therapists Share How to Make Long Distance Relationships Work | Lasting
How To Maintain Long-Distance Relationships | Refinery29
8 Best Tips to Make a Long-Distance Relationship Work | Time