Relationship Expert Reveals the No. 1 Habit Couples Need for a Happy and Healthy Relationship
Small daily rituals, rather than grand romantic gestures, may hold the key to long-lasting happiness in a relationship, according to leading experts in behavioral psychology and relationship counseling.
Couples who tackle daily chores together build trust, equality, and intimacy—more than romantic gestures, say relationship experts and new studies.
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Dr. Hannah Lawson, a seasoned therapist with over a decade of experience in couples counseling, emphasizes the power of shared responsibilities at home. Speaking to the Daily Mail, she explains that when couples divide everyday tasks such as setting the table or loading the dishwasher, they reinforce equality and mutual respect within the partnership.
The emotional weight of these seemingly simple activities is often underestimated. Lawson points out that when one partner—typically the woman—is left to manage household chores alone, it can breed feelings of resentment over time. Shared chores, on the other hand, transform mundane tasks into opportunities for connection, teamwork, and conversation.
“These daily routines serve as bonding rituals that build emotional trust and deepen the sense of being a team,” Lawson notes. “It’s less about the task and more about what the act symbolizes—partnership, respect, and shared investment in the relationship.”
Recent research published in the journal Motivation and Emotion further supports this perspective. A series of four studies conducted by researchers at the University of Reading explored the significance of silence between romantic partners. Participants were asked to recall moments of quiet with their significant other and reflect on the context and emotional impact of those experiences.
Findings revealed a striking emotional contrast. In unhealthy relationships, silence often reflected tension, disappointment, or emotional withdrawal. In healthy relationships, however, mutual silence was perceived as a sign of comfort, closeness, and unspoken understanding.
In one scenario, a partner’s glance could carry silent judgment. In another, that same glance, absent of words, could convey shared intimacy. Researchers concluded that silence itself is not inherently good or bad; its emotional impact depends on the quality of the relationship and the mutual understanding behind the quiet.
Together, both expert advice and scientific studies suggest that nurturing a successful romantic relationship may lie in the quiet, consistent acts of everyday life—like folding laundry side by side or enjoying a companionable silence on the couch. These moments, though small, can build emotional resilience and long-term happiness more effectively than periodic, dramatic displays of affection.
