Technology and social media have been said to ruin relationships, and as of late this theory has skyrocketed. We’re bold enough to say, however, that if technology is able to tear your relationship down to its foundation, it may not have been strong in the first place. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Skype are not necessarily the enemy of monogamous relationships (they’re just the ones who bare the blunt of the blame.) Contrary to popular belief, they can actually help relationships – Don’t believe us? Check out a few ways technology and social media can be used to keep a healthy relationship below.
Now we’re no relationship experts, however we have found some tips from our own experiences and seeing what works in other successful relationships. These tips are also taken from lessons learned from observing couples that allowed social media to affect their relationships negatively. It should also be noted that these tips are for those with the goal of monogamy!
Have fun.
If this is the person you may spend the rest of your life with, you should be able to have fun with them. Tell jokes and laugh a lot. Send them all the funny e-cards and quotes that remind you of your partner, even if it’s about their smelly feet! Use your smart phones as tools to have fun together. Challenge your boo in a game of Words with Friends, even if you are sitting right across the room from each other or miles apart.
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Don’t just have date nights, enjoy every night.
Last week I read a blog from a writer who does not believe in date nights with her husband of 9 years. Going into the read I was thrown off by the title “I Don’t Believe in Date Night” but as I continued to read, it all made sense. Couples should enjoy all of their time together, even if they were just arguing with one another. Having a set date night could set the pattern that this will be the only time you both enjoy each other’s company. Use different ‘best of’ apps like Yelp, Happy Hours, and Places to find new and spontaneous outings for regular nights when you both have down time.
Keep your individuality, but limit social media usage.
You can still be on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. even when you’re in a relationship. Use it to send funny and sweet e-cards like mentioned above. Send them flirty messages as if you were just getting to know each other- you know, role play! However, you can’t be obsessed with social media as when you were single. Keep in mind that you now have to manage how much time you spend on social media. Also, don’t leave your friends behind. It’s actually healthy if your partner knows your friends and you all hang out together, they’ll feel more included. Furthermore, it’ll be no suspicions when friends post on your wall.
Communicate.
Communication is key, and with so much technology there is really no excuse! When you’re happy, sad, mad, excited let your partner know. Use your iPhone emojis or e-cards when you don’t have the words. A lot of times the other person doesn’t even know you’re feeling some kind of way, and they certainly should NOT find out through a post or status message. On the contrary, use your status posts to say how much you love them or how happy your boo makes you!
Imagine how special they’ll feel when they stumble upon this. A conversation can fix everything! If you’re both near a computer have a quick Skype chat to work it all out, rather than texting- which can cause confusion of emotions. Most importantly, talk about what you’re both comfortable sharing on social media sites in regards to your relationship and exes, that way you’re in complete agreement and there will be no surprises.
Encourage your partner to be great.
This world can be tough. Having someone to encourage you throughout the day is an amazing feeling. Use Twitter or Facebook to give share some encouraging quotes with your lover. Support all the things they share as well. Don’t just be a “yes man” but actually give feedback. Help them be a better them.
So to be clear, social media itself isn’t to blame for the demise of what was supposed to be happily ever after. Instead, it’s an avenue by which threats can develop if you fail to communicate about them, and one that can heighten problems that already exist. Time to stop blaming social media and use it to your relationship’s advantage! It is possible!
What other ways do you use social media to help your relationship? Tell us below…
