{"id":6712,"date":"2023-09-16T14:32:03","date_gmt":"2023-09-16T09:02:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifegram.org\/?p=6712"},"modified":"2023-09-16T14:34:23","modified_gmt":"2023-09-16T09:04:23","slug":"how-to-maintain-intimacy-in-the-age-of-social-media-distractions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifegram.org\/how-to-maintain-intimacy-in-the-age-of-social-media-distractions\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Maintain Intimacy in the Age of Social Media Distractions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Staying connected with your partner can be challenging when you\u2019re also connected to the rest of the world at any given moment. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Social media and the Internet in general is full of alluring, bite-sized distractions that can seriously eat into your quality time together and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lifegram.org\/couple-yoga-poses-and-benefits\/\">your bond as a couple<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">But if you want a healthy, loving partnership, you have to make the effort to maintain your intimacy. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Here\u2019s how:<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#1_Reduce_your_social_media_time\">1. Reduce your social media time<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#2_Resist_the_urge_to_snoop\">2. Resist the urge to snoop<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#3_Communicate_face-to-face\">3. Communicate face-to-face<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#4_Make_tech_work_for_you\">4. Make tech work for you<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#5_Spend_offline_quality_time\">5. Spend offline quality time<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#6_Eliminate_devices_from_the_bedroom\">\n6. Eliminate devices from the bedroom<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<h3><span id=\"1_Reduce_your_social_media_time\"><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">1. Reduce your social media time<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">The first step is also the most obvious &#8211; cut down on the time you spend on your platforms. You don\u2019t have to completely give them up, of course, unless you want to. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Just set some boundaries for yourself. For example, you can choose certain times of day for scrolling through your feeds, e.g. one hour after dinner and before bedtime. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">If you lose track easily, consider using apps that help you monitor your screen time. Most phones also have some kind of \u201cdigital wellbeing\u201d apps built in so you can get weekly reports on your device usage. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">This is especially useful for comparing the time you spend on different platforms. If you tend to switch between apps it\u2019s much easier to accumulate a lot of total social media time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"2_Resist_the_urge_to_snoop\"><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">2. Resist the urge to snoop<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Trust is the cornerstone of any successful relationship. While open communication is important, that has to have a measure too, so <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecenterportland.com\/how-to-trust-your-partner-without-snooping\/\">respect your partner&#8217;s online privacy<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Don&#8217;t look through their messages or make assumptions based on what you see on their timelines. If something concerns you, ask about it. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Openly discussing boundaries and privacy concerns builds trust and sets a tone of mature cooperation for any potential conflicts down the line.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"3_Communicate_face-to-face\"><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">3. Communicate face-to-face<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Meaningful face-to-face conversations often take a backseat in our digital age, but this is a huge mistake. Make an effort to engage in real conversations with your partner on a regular basis. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Share your thoughts, feelings, impressions from your day, etc. Remember, screens have no facial expressions or tones of voice, so a lot of nuance is lost.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Put away your phone during meals or leisurely moments. <\/span><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Intimacy requires undivided attention, so practice it in your everyday interactions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"4_Make_tech_work_for_you\"><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">4. Make tech work for you<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">While technology can be a hindrance in many ways, it can also be a helpful tool for strengthening your relationship if you\u2019re smart with how you use it. Consider apps designed to help couples connect, such as shared calendars for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/myths-desire\/202103\/how-plan-date-night-will-make-you-feel-closer\">planning date nights<\/a> or private messaging apps for sending sweet notes throughout the day. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">These types of things can be especially helpful in weaning yourself off social media apps. You still get your dose of online interaction, but it\u2019s focused on your partner and your relationship instead of random strangers on the Web.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"5_Spend_offline_quality_time\"><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">5. Spend offline quality time<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Intimacy thrives on quality time for just you. Plan activities that don&#8217;t involve any screens or devices, such as going for a walk, cooking together, or simply enjoying a quiet evening with a board game or a book. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Sharing your hobbies can also reignite your connection, so try alternating between each other\u2019s favorite pastimes if they don\u2019t really overlap. Bonus points for exploring interests that require little to no tech involvement, like dancing, painting, or gardening. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Even if\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">you don\u2019t adopt your partner\u2019s niche interests, it\u2019s a fun way to bond and create lasting memories.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"6_Eliminate_devices_from_the_bedroom\">\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">6. Eliminate devices from the bedroom<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Finally, no matter how you alter your overall social media and tech habits, keep the digital toys out of the bedroom! It\u2019s your sanctuary, the most intimate space you share, so make it conducive to connecting with your partner on a more profound level. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Leave the smartphones and tablets in the living room. Set up an old-fashioned alarm clock. No screens allowed! Not only will that make the room a little intimacy nest, it\u2019ll also improve your sleep quality. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">When you\u2019re both well-rested, you\u2019re less cranky and confrontational, meaning more harmony and joy in the relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Keeping intimacy alive with all the readily available distractions is actually simple, but requires consistent effort. Prioritize face-to-face communication and respect each other&#8217;s privacy. Minimize your individual screen times and focus on tech as a tool instead. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Use it to coordinate your everyday lives or explore some exciting avenues of spicing things up. No matter what you do, though, keep devices out of your most intimate spaces: shared mealtimes, dates, and the bedroom.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Staying connected with your partner can be challenging when you\u2019re also connected to the rest of the world at any given moment. Social media and the Internet in general is full of alluring, bite-sized distractions that can seriously eat into your quality time together and your bond as a couple. But if you want a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":162,"featured_media":6713,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[419],"tags":[656,948],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifegram.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6712"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifegram.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifegram.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifegram.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/162"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifegram.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6712"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifegram.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6712\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6714,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifegram.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6712\/revisions\/6714"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifegram.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifegram.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifegram.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifegram.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}