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How to Set Healthy Boundaries in Your Relationship

September 3, 2020

Given the current state of the world, you may be spending more time than ever with your partner. If you find that you are together a lot, it may not always be easy to set necessary boundaries. Perhaps you have already set healthy boundaries for your relationship, but they have been hard to maintain during this time. Setting boundaries (or reevaluating them) in your relationship will ultimately help reduce stress and ensure that you have a healthy dynamic with your partner.

Here are six tips for setting healthy boundaries in your relationship:

Know That Boundaries Are Healthy for Your Relationship

Before setting boundaries, consider acknowledging why they are important for you. Boundaries are an integral part of healthy relationships because they help to maintain a balance between you and your partner. They also help minimize conflict, because they establish a precedent for what you both expect from each other. Having boundaries can actually bring you closer to your partner because they are set through open communication.

Be Honest About What You Need

Communicating transparently is an important part of every healthy relationship. When discussing boundaries with your partner, being honest about what you are comfortable with or not comfortable with will ensure that they know what you truly expect from them. You could even try writing down your expectations so that you are clear about what you want when sharing them with your partner.

Listen to What Your Partner Needs

Since you expect your partner to honor your boundaries, it’s also important to fully listen to their needs as well. Relationships are a two-way street, so you will need to listen to the boundaries they want to set and discuss those as well. Remember, that in a relationship, you should be able to say anything, but the WAY you say it, matters. Consider reading up on soft startups to communicate more effectively.

Designate When You Need Space

This tip is especially applicable at the moment. If you’re spending a lot of time together right now, be sure to communicate with each other about when you need time alone. It’s just as important to set aside time for yourself as it is to have quality time with the person you love.

Establish How Comfortable You Are In the Scope of COVID-19

Your boundaries surrounding your interactions with friends and family, and your overall social expectations during this time, are likely to have changed. If you haven’t already, consider having a conversation with your partner about how comfortable you both are with being around other people during this time and in what type of setting.

Communicate With Respect

Healthy relationships include respect from both sides. The best way to communicate your boundaries with your partner is with compassion, understanding and respect for each other’s expectations. Having respect each time you communicate will ultimately make your relationship healthier and stronger.