Is Too Much Routine Hurting Your Relationship?

 

This quote by Paul Coelho got me thinking about routines and how they affect relationships.  As a psychologist, I will tell you that routines are part of what keeps us sane.  Given all the demands on us, some structure and predictability in our lives is absolutely necessary to keep stress at bay.

That being said, too much routine can be destructive.  Relationships that last for several years often decline because they become downright boring and predictable.  You go to the same places to eat.  You always hang around the same people.  You can even complete one another’s sentences because you’ve heard the same stories again and again.

Keeping a relationship interesting doesn’t mean you have to be spontaneous all the time, but it does require you to step outside the rut and do some things differently on occasion.

What are some of the things you do to keep your relationship interesting?