Is Your Partner’s Mobile Phone Hurting Your Relationship?

Do you feel your partner might choose their phone over you?

More and more I am seeing in couples coming to relationship counselling where one partner is complaining about the amount of time his/her partner is on their phone, taking away from the quality time they can spend together.

In established relationships, particularly when you are trying to balance work pressures and raising a family, it is especially important to carve out quality time together just as a couple each night.

After a long day of work, kids, and chores, you finally relax; however, you find your partner glued to their phone.

Research on Relationship quality and Mobile phone use

Interesting research from the University of Essex study has shown how much just having a mobile phone sitting next to you, even without using it, can negatively impact your relationship closeness.

Moreover, studies show that even when a phone is simply nearby, couples feel less trust and empathy during meaningful conversations.

The Mobile Mindset Study has also found that:

• We are constantly connecting. Nearly 60% of people said they don’t go an hour without checking their phone. Ages 18–34 are most addicted—most can’t go an hour without checking their phones.
• Our connection never sleeps. Over half check their phones in bed—before sleep, after waking, and even at night.
• We need access everywhere. Interestingly, nearly 40% admit to checking their phone even while on the toilet.

Mobile phones are a huge part of our lives and are here to stay, but overuse of them can really hurt your relationship.

Try a nightly 30-minute phone-free zone to enjoy true quality time together. You might be surprised what a qualitative difference it will make to your relationship.

More on the Core values in a healthy relationship in next week’s blog.

Visit our Sydney Relationship Psychologists for support.

Warmest regards

Julie