4 ways to improve communication in your marriage.

There are few things in life more frustrating than miscommunication. With all of our our smart phones, apps and other gadgets, there have never been more tools to help us communicate, and yet, communication seems more difficult than ever!

Of all relationships, miscommunication can be most damaging within marriages. When a husband and wife don’t consistently communicate with openness, honesty and clarity, the marriage can quickly fall into a rut. Healthy communication does for a marriage what breathing does for lungs, so it’s important we do make it a priority.

Every marriage is different, because every person is different, but I’m convinced these tools will apply to most couples. Start making these a priority and you should see instant improvement in your relationship:

1. Always make it a priority to answer your phone when your spouse is calling.

This is one of the simplest ways to show them the place of priority they have in your life, your schedule, and your heart. Even if you have to pick it up and say, “I’m in the middle of something, but can I call you right back? Is everything okay? I love you,” your voice is always a better connect than your voicemail!

For more on this, check out my post on 5 ways to improve your marriage using your smart phone.

2. When you’re together, be willing to turn your phone OFF.

I know it’s not always practical to keep your phone off whenever you’re together, but be willing to put it away for prolonged periods of time so you can have uninterrupted conversations. Talking with your spouse is always better than texting with someone else! Also, when you first walk in the door at home, make sure you’re not on your phone. End the conversation in the driveway, so you can give your family your undivided attention the moment you walk inside.

For more on this, check out our 2-minute video Your iPhone might be hurting your marriage.

3. Go on a walk together.

For Ashley and me, some of our greatest conversations have happened on long walks. On a lot of our date nights, instead of dinner and a movie, we do dinner and a walk which is healthy, free and most importantly, it gives us a great opportunity to connect in conversation.

For more ways to connect, check out our FREE video series on The 4 Pillars of a Strong Marriage.

4. Listen when your spouse is talking and talk when your spouse is listening.

This one might sound overly simplistic, but it’s vitally important. One of the most practical ways to improve communication within your marriage is simply to listen and respond to one another whenever the opportunities arise.

For another great way to improve communication in your marriage, check out my bestselling book, “iVow: Secrets to a Stronger Marriage” which is now also available on iTunes as an ebook download for iPhones, iPads and all Apple devices.

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