It’s fair to say that this year has been a hard one. As the coronavirus swept across the world, we’ve faced increasing challenges in all aspects of our lives. Strict rules have meant we’ve been (and continue to be) spending the majority of our time at home – working from our kitchen tables, socialising with friends online in our front room, and exercising in any spare floor space we can find.
So, how have the coronavirus restrictions impacted relationships with our significant others? A recent study by F Hinds sought an answer to this by asking 2000 couples to give an insight into their relationships through lockdown. Here’s what they found out.
Couples in Manchester have two major arguments per week
The survey has revealed that couples in Manchester have two major arguments every week. While this may sound like a lot of squabbling, it seems Mancunians have it better than those in other parts of the country. Couples in Birmingham admit to having three, those in London having five, and those in many other major cities having three big blow outs each week.
What are couples most likely to argue about?
So, what exactly are couples fighting about? Respondents said that the main causes of fights in lockdown were due to household chores. In fact, the most common cause of arguments was tidying the house, and the second most common was cleaning. It seems that spending more time with each other at home has made us tetchier about our partners cleaning and tidying up after themselves.
What solutions are there to ease strained relationships?
For those that have been arguing more with their partner – have no fear, there are ways to help reduce these troublesome clashes. Firstly, make some time to do things that you really enjoy together. You may be trying to fill a lot of time with working, speaking to others on the phone, exercising or otherwise – so it’s important to spend some quality time with your partner that doesn’t involve chores. This could be watching a funny sitcom together, cooking a tasty meal, or simply sitting down for a chat over a cuppa.
Have some couples got closer?
While many couples have experienced ups and downs this year, it’s not all doom and gloom. Many relationships have become stronger through these challenging times – despite the odd squabble. The survey said that over half of respondents (52%) have been enjoying spending more time with their loved one than usual this year – which could lead to new relationship milestones such as engagement or having a baby.
As we face more turbulent times ahead, it will be interesting to see how our relationships continue to change and adapt to our current way of life.
