Why Do Relationships Need Quality Time?

Relationships need quality time to grow and blossom. Much like a flower needs water and sunlight, relationships need specific elements to survive as well. One of those elements is quality time.

But what is quality time? This can be not easy to define, but it is essentially time you spend with the other person where you are fully engaged with that other person. Have you ever been to a restaurant where you see a couple out to dinner, but they are both on their phones for most of the time? Perhaps you have been one of those couples. That is not quality time, yes you are both physically present, but there is little communication and acknowledgment of the other’s presence. There is no real shared experience.

Another common scenario is both people sitting on a couch and watching television. They may be talking about what is being shown, but they are still not fully present with one another. Quality time tends to require both an intimate emotional connection and a shared experience. Two people going for a hike in the woods and talking about the beauty around them or their lives is a perfect example of quality time. At the same time, it does not have to be an arduous hike but a walk around a local park. What is important is that both people are engaged and share their lives with the other person, building some memories together.

Shared memories are really what makes spending time with that other person vital, rather than just sharing space with that person. Shared experiences allow two people to create a common narrative together to be able to say: we did this together…instead of you, and I did that. 

Relationships cannot grow without emotional intimacy and sharing vulnerabilities. This is hard to do if you share with that other person full of distractions and individual activities. Suppose you live with someone and want to develop a fuller, satisfying relationship; set aside time each day where you can engage them in either an activity or even a specific conversation. By creating these small moments of quality time, you will find the relationship will become stronger.