The #1 Relationship Complaint in 2017
& How To Avoid It

How a little presence can save your relationship

February 14th, 2018

If you could know your significant other’s #1 complaint about your relationship, you would want to know right? Excellent. I’m going to tell what it most likely is.

It’s no secret that our culture breeds an addiction to our phones. A recent study found that on average we look at our phones every 4-6 minutes….about 150 times a day…oy. Some are taking the steps through mindfulness training and technology cleanses to better their phone habits. However, a large majority are simply accepting that “it’s just the way it is”. Well, if you knew your phone was ruining your relationship, would you put it down more often?

From a research study at Baylor University: “In everyday interactions with significant others, people often assume that momentary distractions by their cell phones are not a big deal,” researcher Meredith David said in a release of the study. “However, our findings suggest that the more often a couple’s time spent together is interrupted by one individual attending to his/her cellphone, the less likely it is that the other individual is satisfied in the overall relationship.”

Ok peeps, it’s now a scientific fact. Our cell phones are making us worse significant others. However, the silver lining here is that the solution is super easy. Simply put your phone down more often! Yes, easier said than done, so here are a few tips:

1. Set a reminder on your phone twice daily that reminds you to “STOP LOOKING AT YOUR PHONE DUMMY!”

2. Plug your phone in outside of your bedroom. The bathroom is becoming a common place to charge overnight. Time in bed with others should be spent discussing intellectual topics and playing board games. You know, usual adult bedroom activities 😉

3. Have an open dialogue with your partner. Let them know you want to spend more time with them and less time with your screen, and that you are working on it. They are now officially allowed to call you out on phubbing whenever they’d like.

4. Put another reminder on your phone that says, “Put your phone down and go find your SO (hug them, compliment them, kiss them, say you love them, etc).”

5. Shameless plug but MEDITATE! The whole act of meditation is to attain mindfulness, which is being aware of the present moment. When you’re more mindful, you naturally use your phone less. What’s the easiest way to learn to meditate? Bring MeditationWorks to your office.

So all you lovers out there, let’s get that divorce rate down! Add a little more mindfulness into your life and re-spark the love for your wonderful partner, not the tiny little screen in your pocket.