There was a time when you had the time. To strike a conversation with your partner. To whisper sweet nothings. To discover a new facet of each other’s personality. In fact, time has become so scarce that you even give that silly tiff a miss.
Riddhi, a twenty something call centre executive, says, “I feel my husband is like just another guy I know. As I get to spend time with him only when we travel together to work. Weekends are so packed with those must-do mundane chores that they make the long-awaited two days of break really short-lived.”
According to relationship counsellor Kanika Sharma, a rapid decline in the amount of quality time spent together by working couples has a gradual impact on the relationship. It happens so slowly that couples don’t even realize it. Well, this is what Meera, a young advertising professional feels — “In the days of courtship, I would learn at least one thing about my husband (fiancé then), as we spent a lot of time together. Today, it seems like an alien phenomenon. Forget knowing him better…I can sense the distance creeping in.”
Take a crack at this: Quit the Boardroom worries. Switch to Board Games. START PLAYING!
Board games are a very worthy way to have a good time together. Besides serving as a stress-buster, it encourages conversation in the otherwise quite or non-interactive relationship. It allows you to park away all your day-to-day worries and focus on the game.
Why board games?
Re-discovery
While playing board games, you reveal inner talents to each other that have never been acknowledged. And learning that your partner has some kind of hidden skill can be very exciting. Hence, with every game you start discovering the person you fell in love with, all over again.
Pure fun, nothing else
It gets difficult trying to find new things to do together. So spend one Sunday afternoon playing a spirited game of Monopoly and you’ll know that it’s a terrific (& free) substitute to that mindless shopping or whatever you’d end up doing otherwise.
Friendly Competition
The harmless rivalry sprinkles the essential dose of spice onto a relationship. Watching your partner exercise his strengths can be incredibly enticing.
Conversation starter
Board games tend to relax most people, providing an enjoyable distraction from the regular rigors of life. Hence, a few games can open up the lines of communication. Or, it can be the perfect time to discuss the joint duties towards the house while you are at a game of Jenga.
Which one’s for me?
Before you select your board game, consider the premise of the game and see if it fits well with yours and your partner’s personality.
Ask yourself:
› Will it take hours, or is it a snack game?
› Does it have too many rules, or is it a simple one?
› Will the game get confrontational?
› Does the game require you to think abstract or stay rational?
Give it a shot: Monopoly, Scrabble, Jenga, Chess, Backgammon, Checkers are a few games you must try.
So, discover the game that works for you and your man. And a few rounds of power-packed board gaming will definitely transform your relationship into an emotion-packed one.
