Want to Bond With Your Partner? Spend More Time Alone
Personal time is more important for a good relationship than dates
When we think of having a great relationship with our partner, we usually think of togetherness — and the things we do together when we go on dates. But while time together is important, according to research conducted by Elements Massage, spending time apart is actually also a big ingredient in the recipe of a great relationship. In fact, 85 percent of the 2,000 people surveyed said that spending time alone is a huge factor of a strong relationship — and 41 percent said that not getting this me-time is a big enough issue that they’re willing to end their relationship over it. Luckily, 58 percent of them said they encourage their partner to spend time alone.
Sometimes life gets in the way of good mental health, and people need more alone time than usual.
And just how much time do people need alone in order to have a healthy relationship?
Not much.
In merely 51 minutes a day of alone time, survey participants reported that they get the best results for strengthening their relationship.
Luckily, no matter what is going on in people’s lives, they have ways to unwind and get the most out of their me-time.
However, there are some exceptions. Sometimes life gets in the way of good mental health, and people need more alone time than usual. This need for additional me-time is generally triggered by:
- Stress from work (50 percent)
- Holiday stress (47 percent)
- Stress at home (47 percent)
- Visits from family (45 percent)
- Sleep deprivation (38 percent)
- Being sick (36 percent)
- Dealing with a sick child (30 percent)
- Dealing with a death in the family (28 percent)
- Dealing with a sick partner/spouse (28 percent)
- Getting fired from a job (25 percent)
Luckily, no matter what is going on in people’s lives, they have ways to unwind and get the most out of their me-time. The top activities respondents mentioned engaging in when they are away from their partner were:
- Watching a TV show or movie (60 percent)
- Reading a book (56 percent)
- Listening to a podcast (42 percent)
- Exercising (38 percent)
- Drinking coffee or tea (34 percent)
- Eating a meal alone (34 percent)
- Going out dancing (33 percent)
- Going shopping (32 percent)
- Going for a walk (32 percent)
- Going to a hair appointment (31 percent)
This is all not to say that time alone was the main priority respondents have. Spending time with family was actually the top priority for 57 percent of study participants, while 45 percent mentioned spending time with their partner, and 39 percent listed catching up with friends.
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Sources:
‘Me-Time’ is More Important Than Date Nights for Healthy Relationships, Says New Survey of Adults. Good News Network. https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/me-time-more-important-than-date-nights-onepoll/
Renner, B. (2019, December 19). Finding A Balance: Alone Time More Important For Relationships Than Dates, Survey Says. Study Finds. https://www.studyfinds.org/finding-a-balance-alone-time-more-important-for-relationships-than-dates-survey-says/
