In the UK, we’re facing another national lockdown this week.

And many other countries are already in stricter lockdowns again, or may be heading towards another.

One of the biggest struggles I’ve seen couples have is the work at home – live at home – play at home – no personal space at home – set up. 😬

It can put a real strain on the relationship and ritual can be a great way to instil some healthy boundaries for you.

here are some simple rituals to try

One of the easiest places to implement a few new rituals, is around your work day, whether you and your partner are working from home for your job, or running your own business.

• 👔  Even if you don’t have any meetings today, get dressed into “work clothes” for work time. They don’t have to be formal, just different from what you’d wear at the weekend or in the evenings

• 🚴🏾  After breakfast, go for a walk around the block or for a quick cycle ride, to mark “leaving home” and going to work”

• 🏡  Once you and/or your partner have ‘gone to work’, don’t hang out on and off during the day. Try and work in separate areas of the house or garden, if space allows

• 🤳🏻  If you usually text each other during the day, do that instead of popping into each other’s spaces for a chat

• 🍆  Meet for lunch! Or a lunchtime quickie!! (there are some benefits to working from home too 😉 )

• 🌳  As a bit of self care, go out for a walk to the park or around the block during your tea break (especially if you had to walk to the kitchen to make a cuppa at work)

• 🏃🏻‍♀️  At the end of your work day, do the morning ritual in reverse.. again, go for a walk or a bike ride and “head home”. Change out of your “work clothes” when you get home, marking the start of “family time”

• ⏳  If you’re highly sensitive, or an introvert, you might need to take a bit of space alone before you’re ready for making dinner, or chatting to your partner.. ask for that space and take it in turns with your partner when it comes to prepping dinner or watching the kids so that you can both get that kind of space at least every other day

• ⏳  If you’re an extrovert and talking to your partner is the way that you process your day, ask for what you need, or set up calls with your friends after work to get that connection and processing space that fills you up again

• 🌿  And, finally, make sure that you take regular time out of the house, preferably in nature, because it can be all too easy to get “locked in” at home and that can really wear you down after a while and make it harder to deal with the shifts in the world right now (and being a refreshed and resourced partner is a gift you can bring into your relationship this month)

what’s working for you?

Have you tried these rituals?

Do you have some of your own that have worked?

Let me know in the comments, or over on social media, so I can add yours to my list!