Don't let your job or the kids or volunteer work or time with friends and extended family interfere with your marriage.

Many couples today find that being married doesn't guarantee that they will have quality time with one another. If you are both busy, you have to plan to spend time together. Here are some ideas.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: Varies

Here's How:

1. Schedule a weekend just for the two of you. Write it on your calendar, put it on your computer planner, etc. Don't change it for any other event. You don't have to go anywhere.

1. Have lunch together once a week. On nice days, meet in a park.
2. Let your children know that you two need time alone together. Tell them they can knock on your closed bedroom door only if there is blood.
3. Walk around the block together.
4. Do chores together like the dishes or weeding. It may not sound like quality time, but it can be.
5. When you are running errands together, turn off the radio or CD player in the car and talk with one another.
6. Take showers together.
7. Spend 20 minutes a day in daily dialogue.
8. Arrange for a quiet evening at home alone once a month.
9. Hire a babysitter to watch the kids for a couple hours even though you are home. This works wonders!
10. Work out a deal with another couple to have them watch your kids overnight so you can have a romantic evening alone ... then you watch their children for them.
11. Schedule dates with one another. Having an evening or afternoon out together twice a month is a good beginning.
12. Volunteer to be a presenting couple on Marriage Encounter, Retrouvaille or Engaged Encounter weekends.

1. When you travel together, don't take work on the plane or road trip. Spend that time talking with each other.
2. Have a one night stand with each other.

Tips:

1. Bottom line: if you don't schedule time for one another, you won't have the time.

What You Need:

• Commitment
• A Calendar