Ways to Prioritize Your Marriage

We all prioritize components of our lives. You've got work, family, exercise, self care, household chores, friendships, etc. If you take a step back an evaluate all these, you will see how you've put things in a sort of hierarchy of importance.

I believe placing marriage up there on the priority list is incredibly important. Having a stable and thriving companionship with your husband/wife benefits your home, emotional well being, and has a huge positive impact on your children.

How Do You Prioritize Your Marriage?

Time, intentionality, and effort. Big emphasis on time. It takes time to build into your relationship and you need to deliberately set aside time for your marriage. If you have kids, this is especially important. Marriages so often get thrown on the back burner once those babies start arriving and take up so much time, focus, and energy. Perhaps you don't have kids but schooling or career begins to take precedence above all. However, as a fire dies without adding fuel, so does a marriage if not tended to. Another note worth mentioning is that the effort must be given by both partners. It simply won't work out if one is willing and the other is not.

5 Steps to Make Your Marriage a Priority

1. Block out intentional time for one another.

There's those two words again: intentional and time. I may sound like a broken record but this cannot be emphasized enough. Make sure you connect every single day. Even small connections here and there are valuable. Hug and kiss when your husband comes home from work. Make a point of chatting throughout the evening whether that's during dinner, after the kids are sleeping, or while you're in bed before turning off the lights.

Something I will also continue to mention throughout my blog is the importance of dating in marriage! I think at least once or twice a week you should plan on doing something together. Even if it's simply at home. Watch a movie, make something, play a boardgame, etc. If you have kids, plan to have someone look after them once in awhile so you can go out and have some fun together.

See 30 Cheap Date Ideas if you need some inspiration!

2. Check in with them before making plans.

Some may confuse this as a controlling thing but that's not at all the heart behind this. Asking your spouse before making plans is a way of respecting and prioritizing their needs. For example, my husband always tries to check with me before he goes out. And I know that he would absolutely stay if I really needed him. Or perhaps we want to check in just in case we've forgotten about plans already set in place. It's a great way to stay on the same page and communicate.

3. Physical connection.

I'm not exclusively talking about sexual intimacy, though that of course is important and a part of a loving marriage. Small physical touches like holding hands, pecks on the cheek, and hugs are not to be underestimated. Those little connections are silent ways to communicate "I love you", "I see you", and "You are important." Amidst the busyness of our daily goings on, it means a lot when you stop for a moment and connect with your partner.

4. Know their love language.

Everybody gives and receives love differently. You prioritize your spouse when you learn and apply the love language that makes them feel loved the most. You may appreciate gifts a lot more than your spouse who actually feels more blessed by words of affirmation.

5. Express gratitude towards each other.

Go out of your way to notice the things your spouse does. Say you are thankful for them and why. Thankfulness brings joy, connects you relationally, and shows that you care about the things they do.

Your Spouse is Important

I hope this inspires you to continue building into your marriage relationship no matter how long you've been together. A strong and healthy marriage where you both prioritize one another is something worth fighting for!