We talked about how three little words, “do it yourself,” can harm your marriage, but the opposite can also be true. Working together on projects around your home or yard, can bring you and your spouse closer together. A sense of accomplishment gives anyone a boost and when the two of you achieve that sense together, it’s even better.
You’re not only proud of your work but also of your spouse’s efforts. You can stand back and admire what the two of you have completed together. Be sure to offer compliments and to acknowledge what a great team you and your spouse make.
If you rarely work on projects side by side with your spouse, there’s no time like the present to get started. Spend a day working in the yard together, whether maintaining the lawn or adding a few new touches to the landscaping. Plant some flowers or a tree. Plan and cultivate a garden together.
Gardening is a fantastic team project. The sense of accomplishment is a continuous thing as plants peek out from the earth, begin to blossom, and then begin to produce. As you eat the fruits of your labor (not to mention the vegetables), you’ll feel good knowing the two of you achieved the result together.
You can also try grocery shopping or cooking together, doing minor repairs around the house like decorating projects, spring cleaning, cleaning out the garage, working on the car, or washing the car together. Doing even mundane tasks as a team makes them less tedious, and often, even enjoyable. Talk, laugh, be playful, and enjoy each other’s company while getting the work done.
Then, you can go celebrate by seeing a movie or enjoying another outing together, because working together will also help you save enough time to do other things. You’ll feel closer to each other while working together and afterward when you see what you have accomplished.
What types of projects do you and your spouse work on together?