"10 Advice on How to Maintain a Relationship in a Time of Pandemic"

Nurturing a relationship during this coronavirus pandemic is not easy. The pandemic continues to dramatically affect our lives, including relationships with other people – family, friendships, and love.

Losing physical contact with the person we love or even the other way around – being forced to share the same space permanently – can be stressful and even worrying, scary and I would say it can also become unbearable.

Adding to all this, the uncertainty of the end of the pandemic and the concern about the virus itself, we have a cocktail of factors so that things do not go well. So, for our own sake, it pays to be even more patient and understanding with yourself and others.

The General Directorate of Health launched a website dedicated to mental health in the context of the pandemic, to promote and streamline the monitoring of the mental health of the Portuguese population and to enable them to seek help if there are changes in behavior, well-being, and mental health. See here for more information.

In addition to taking care of yourself, it is also important to take care of those you love.

Here are some tips for maintaining a healthy relationship and that can make a difference:

1. Connect with people you can trust and talk to.

Make time to talk, let off steam with people you love and trust. Perhaps they are in the same situation.

2. Be there.

This means paying attention to your better half and trying not to be distracted by phone calls, or your job or other interests.

3. Lsten.

Listen, but really listen to what your better half is saying and try to understand. Focus on your needs right now.

4. Communicate.

Set aside an hour a day so they can talk and expose how they are feeling, without fear of criticism.

5. Recognize toxic relationships.

Relationships that hurt are not at all what you should want, much less in times of a pandemic.

It is especially important, during these strange and difficult times, to try to consider other options to protect your relationship, so that you can live with each other in the best way.

10 Ideas to celebrate love during the pandemic?

With the quarantine, the emotions of a relationship are felt more deeply. Here are some tips so that you can have a different day together or separately.

Yes, we are confined at home and in the middle of a pandemic, but still it’s no reason not to celebrate love.

It just means that your options are different, you need to use your imagination more, but who knows, if it will not surprise anyone?!

Some ideas are in person and others virtually.

1. Buy a Spa voucher! Nothing better than the anticipation of a fantastic time. Choose your favorite spa treatment. Here are some options.

2. Create a Spotify list just for your better half. Make a compilation of songs that mark your relationship, or songs that you know the other person likes. Give this playlist a special name.

3. Make that Tik Tok video that is already viral. It is called Couple Quiz; it is super funny to do and even more to see the result. Basically, you answer questions about each other with your eyes closed. The result can be surprising, and you will truly get to know your better half.

4. Stay on Tik Tok. There are lots of videos, games, and quizzes that you can do together. They are a great way to bring humor and good energy to the relationship.

5. Bet on volunteering together. You can be a volunteer in an animal shelter, in the fight against hunger, or in various organizations that support this difficult time for us to live. 

6. Have a night of board games. Complement with wine and snacks. Use your imagination.

7. Cook together. Apply online for cooking classes where you can learn new dishes together.

8. Have a romantic dinner. Prepare yourself as if you were going out to dinner. Dress up with the intention of going to a Michelin star restaurant and prepare the table with candles and the best utensils you have. Do not forget some Jazz music.

9. Learn to dance tango on YouTube. Tango is a very sensual and beautiful dance and is a cliché for couples in romantic movies. Who knows if they will not discover new tastes?

10. Make a movie night at home. Buy popcorn, soften the light in the room and place the blanket on top for complete comfort.

“A Virus makes the planet shake, close borders, monitor governments, segregate people, frighten consciences, lock doors. This time it was covid 19, imagine when it´s love.”

Unknown author