Forget giving up chocolate, limiting your shoe spending or joining that trendy new gym.

If you're going to make any resolutions for 2015, make sure at least one of them is for a
better relationship.

This year we will...

 1. Schedule time together

Everyone leads such busy lives these days that this is often easier said than done. It
becomes something we always mean to do but all our other commitments seem to
come first.

 Get a new diary and make the first thing you write in it your 'couple time' for the
upcoming months
 Set aside an evening once a week, or a part of a day at the weekend, that will be
your time together. You don't have to go away or spend lots of money - but do
something together.
 And it doesn't have to be exclusive, either. Perhaps you'd like to have people
over for a dinner party. That can be a great way to celebrate your partnership as
a team by creating an enjoyable meal together and showing off your
entertainment skills.

Once these times are scheduled in, make them a priority. Treat them as you would an
important appointment, and don't give yourself the option to cancel.

 2. Talk to each other

Some of your time together should be spent talking about what you like and don't like
about the relationship, what you are thinking and feeling... basically, catching up with
how the relationship is doing.

Make sure you regularly talk to each other about how each other’s day is going, funny
things that might come up, thinking of you texts or emails during the day

Take 10-15 minutes each day of uninterrupted time together sitting face to face every
evening with no distractions to share your news and talk about anything that's
concerning you, whether it has to do with work, the children, the house or your extended
family. Make time to be in touch with what's going on in each other's world.

 3. Be selfish

If you feel stressed because you are not giving yourself enough attention, that is going
to permeate into the relationship. If you feel like going for a walk, reading, getting a
massage, or need time on your own, make sure your partner understands why and that
its not because you want to get away from them.

It's unrealistic to expect to be together all the time, and happy couples understand that
each partner will need some time on their own.

Be considerate of your own self and your own need for private time. If you feel good
because you are looking after yourself well, that's going to show in your relationship.
You'll feel sexier and you're partner will benefit from that - so never feel guilty about
enjoying some pampering.

 4. Mention good - and bad

It's no good spending time together and talking regularly if you don't feel able to mention
things you're not happy with in the relationship. What's important is to be able to talk
about what makes you happy and what you think works well between you, but you need
to be secure enough with your partner to speak up if something isn't right. So often,
couples form a kind of 'mutual appreciation society' where they feel frightened to rock
the boat. If you can't say what's making you unhappy, then it will fester - and it won't sort
itself out.

 5. Take a break from the children

Finding someone you can trust to look after your children for you on a regular basis is
one of the biggest favors you can do for your relationship. It's a way to salvage that
valuable 'You' time and it's good for the children, too. So many times I see couples
where the parents have become submerged under the demands of parenthood and
have forgotten they are a couple. That's bad for the whole family. Parents need to make
sure they retain some identity separate from their children. And children need to know
that Mommy and Daddy need time on their own, and that whenever they go away,
they'll always come back.