Systems and Tools that Significantly Improved My Relationship

Jellis Vaes

You can also watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/W4WfxJqy8Qo

Note: I do not want to come across as a relationship expert. I am not. Nor am I saying that my girlfriend and I do not have our ups and downs. We do. Every relationship has them.

This is simply an episode where I want to share the tools and systems that have significantly improved the foundation of our relationship. Hopefully, this will introduce you to some new concepts for your relationship—or your future one.

{THE AND}

A card game with 199 questions per deck that allows people to easily experience more meaningful connections anywhere you may be.

I have recommended this to almost every couple I know—and even singles. There are several different editions of this game. Depending on your status at the moment, I recommend one of the following: Friends Edition, Relationships Edition, Long-Term Relationships Edition, and Strangers Edition.

http://theskindeep.refr.cc/jellisvaes

Spicy Board Game

To make sex more fun and learn more about each other, check out Tease & Please.

Half-Year Review

We do this on Valentine’s Day. We set a date night, get some cocktails, and go through the following three questions:

1. What did we do well?
2. What can we do better or differently?
3. What are our current worries?

Find a Shared Hobby

Climbing is awesome. If you’ve never tried it, give it a go. It is a whole lot of fun.

Some other hobby suggestions to do together are: learning the salsa or any new dance, doing acro yoga, making music, or playing any team sport.

Systems to Make Your Relationship Run More Smoothly

Have a Shared Calendar

Don’t use this to constantly spy on each other. If that might be a trap you can fall into, you should probably skip this.

How to sync calendars:

https://support.google.com/calendar/answer/37082?hl=en

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-set-up-google-calendar-ical-sync-1172184

Share a Google Photos Album

We use a shared Google Photos album for all our photos as a couple—from trips to parties, activities, etc.

It’s easy to set up and makes life as a couple much easier as you have one place for all your photos together.

Splitwise

An incredible tool to make all your payments as a couple so much easier.

https://secure.splitwise.com/

Shared Notion Page (The Relationship Board)

This is a shared Notion page we created that gives an overview of everything about us as a couple

• To-Do List (any shopping or house cleaning or other chores that need doing)
• Apartment (general info about our apartment, like insurance, decorating, contract, etc.)
• Events (any events like house parties or other activities we want to do)
• To explore (any products we’d like to try out, for example, a puzzle, a fun-looking board game, etc.)
• Review (our half-year review)

Bonus

It is essential to improve flexibility in your relationship. Or, if you are still single, look for someone who is flexible. ook for someone who is not set in their ways but rather open to new ideas.

Here are some articles on how to cultivate this trait:

• https://www.verywellmind.com/be-more-open-minded-4690673
• https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Open-Minded
• https://hbr.org/2018/11/a-new-way-to-become-more-open-minded