Why you should plan your next date night

*Guest post

When was the last time you went on a date with your partner? For most people in committed relationships, date night can feel like a thing of the past – a hark back to your first days together, as you were just getting to know each other. But date nights during a long-term relationship should only become more important, not less!

According to most researchers, the honeymoon phase of a relationship generally lasts anywhere between 6 months to 2 years. After this period, couples that manage to stay together can often feel the romance slowly slip away, Life settles into a routine with your partner and date night falls down the list of priorities – after all, you already know each other well!

But date nights are one of the best ways to guarantee special, quality time together. Making time for each other despite your chaotic and busy lives has been proven to have a multitude of positive effects on your relationship, including improving your emotional connectedness, intimacy and passion. So to get you started, here’s three easy tips to having great date nights:

Plan in advance

The decision to order pizza for dinner and eat it in front of the TV doesn’t count as a date. To really spend quality time together, make sure to plan your date in advance so you can also savour the excitement leading up to it. Ideally, schedule a recurrently monthly date night which both of you can commit to.

Look the part

Dress up nicer, put on your special perfume/cologne, and make your partner feel special. It’ll allow you to connect in a more intimate way than your usual daily lives allow – so the more effort you put into it, the greater the reward!

Make it different

It can be easy to just book your favourite restaurant for dinner, but to get the most emotional value out of your date, find something different to do together. Sharing new experiences is integral to strengthening your relationship as it allows you to connect differently and make unique memories together. The list of options is never-ending: from escape rooms to cocktail masterclasses, from seeing a show to going bowling, there are always new activities to try together. And if you’re looking to have your special date from home, you can always try an indoor date box.

Regardless of how long you’ve been together, regular date nights will keep your relationship feeling fresh, fun and exciting. And if you follow these tips, you’ll be on your way to a happy and fulfilling journey with your partner for many years to come!

About the author

Caroline H. is the founder of Box42 – a date night subscription box in the UK. A scientist with a penchant for date ideas, she started Box42 to help bring couples closer together.