How much time with your partner is enough?

[Guest]

It's down to each couple. You can't say one rule applies for everyone.

[Isabelle]

I knew a couple who were basically like post #2.

Weekends together, maybe a stopover mid week, but other than that lived alone. This went on for maybe 6 years. And they both seemed really happy with each other.

 

Then they thought about it - sold one house and moved in together ... no mortgage, saves on household bills, saves time and petrol, all sounds good.

 

Within 6 months they split up. The little things they might have done differently were tolerable when it was for the odd day and in the other person's house, but once they lived together these "little things" manifested themselves into continuous bickering and eventually a breakdown in the relationship.

 

If it works, don't try to fix it

 

I know a woman who has had this arrangement with her partner for 20ish years, she doesn't want to live with anyone, they just see each other at weekends.

 

---------- Post added 26-01-2016 at 17:52 ----------

 

It would be interesting to know the statistics relating to the percentage of break-ups among couples who work together and who, therefore, are together for most of the day and night.

 

Even with couples who do not, there is surely, only a limited amount of new and interesting things to tell each other and to keep the relationship fresh and vibrant.

 

In previous eras, the primary motivations for couples to stay together were probably a combination of economic necessity and the responsibilities relating to child rearing.

 

There are of course strategies to avoid the claustrophobic 'cabin fever' syndrome associated with day in, day out relationships, but implementing them successfully is difficult.

 

I worked with my ex in two jobs and we lived together. Interestingly, it was when we stopped working together that things seemed to go downhill. But I worked 50+ hours every week, God knows how, I couldn't manage it now, I'd be like a zombie I think I was just on auto pilot for those years!

I started to realise I looked forward to the evenings my ex was working more than the times we were together.