As the husband of a busy female executive, I will tell you that I don’t see my wife as much as I would like. Whether she’s working late nights or overseas on business, the time spent apart can really take its toll on the relationship.
Being a hopeless romantic and a man who truly loves his wife, I have put a lot of thought into ways that we can stay connected. After scouring the Internet, asking friends and tapping into my own imagination, I have put a list of six great date night ideas for busy couples.
So, whenever she is out of town and I need some sound advice, I like to plan a video coffee date. Once we’ve synced the time differences and found a quiet coffee shop, we head out with our laptops for a nice cup of coffee and conversation.
Video Chatting
Having a conversation on the phone is nice, but with the high quality of video conferencing these days, why not use it? My wife and I video chat as much as possible. The kids like video chatting with her as well. Our go-to apps are generally Facetime, Whatsapp, Skype or Zoom.
Do the Same, Separate
Going to a movie is always a great date. When you can’t enjoy the movie together, doing it separately is nearly as nice. Sure you don’t get to sit close and enjoy a bucket of popcorn, but you can discuss what you liked or didn’t like about the movie later by phone. If you aren’t a big movie fan, you can always read the same book and have a virtual book club discussion about it later.
Make Use of the Hotel Concierge
It’s not easy to buy your wife flowers when she’s 5,000 miles away … or is it? Most business hotels have a concierge or front desk employee who can help arrange flowers, champagne or candy delivered to her room. If this isn’t possible or the prices are unreasonably high, you can always order an Edible Arrangement or flowers via the Internet and have them delivered to the front desk.
Make the Most of Your Time Together
Yes, it’s hard to be apart; but that only makes it more important to make the most of the time you have together. My wife and I enjoy lunch dates when she works at her home office and evening dates whenever we can. Sometimes we even plan one-night mini-retreats at a nice local hotel.
As the husband of a busy female executive, I know how hard it can be to keep a relationship going strong. In my book, Lean On, I explore the challenges men face when supporting women in leadership, the prevailing societal attitudes toward female breadwinners and how you can make it work for your relationship and family.
