A few weeks ago, I got really overwhelmed with balancing my school work, boyfriend, and friends, but I honestly just wanted and needed to sit in my bed and catch up on binging One Tree Hill to decompose a little. Sometimes things feel very all-at-once as if you cannot get your work done, spend time with those you love, and still have time to decompress by yourself. Learning to balance your own time while also prioritizing your relationship is certainly a learning curve and takes time to figure out this balance. I myself still feel like I’m in the process of it.
One strategy that has been really helpful for me is to schedule time for myself. This can range from a nightly solo trip to the gym, to styling your hair for the week, or a scheduled 45 minutes of doom-scrolling on your phone.
This strategy also works in the reverse. Finding a consistent time that both you and your partner are available can give both of you a weekly time to look forward to and rely on to ensure you will get that time together without it encroaching on your individual time.
It’s important to be honest with your partner about maintaining your independence and prioritizing each other’s needs. Making a schedule to ensure that you have time to look forward to each of your responsibilities is vital to balancing your work and your sanity in a relationship.