If your partner is telling you about their day, put down your phone and listen to them. Even nodding and looking them in the eye can show that you are truly engaged.

You can also express interest in their interests by asking them questions, like what their favorite movie is or which character from a TV show they love the most.

1. Listen to Music

Many couples become so focused on their own personal lives that they forget to nurture the relationship. This can cause issues later on when one person feels that their needs aren’t being met. It’s important to talk about these issues and to be clear about what you want.

Listening to music together can help you understand your partner better. Ask them about their favorite artists or songs and why they like them. Talk about the stories behind the lyrics and take a trip down memory lane.

Try listening to a song together before a big date or even just when you’re home. You can also make a playlist together and choose songs that make you think of your partner. It’s a great way to show your partner how much you care about them and it’ll give you both a boost of oxytocin. Besides, who doesn’t love singing along to a good song?

2. Play Games

Playing games can help you be closer to your partner because they are a great way to have fun and bond with each other. You can try games that require teamwork or ones that challenge each other’s skills. For example, you can try a board game that requires strategic thinking or a puzzle game that requires patience and focus.

Another great way to play games with your partner is to do a relationship scavenger hunt. This can be done in a number of ways, but one way is to leave clues around the house and then give your partner a reward when they find them. The reward can be anything from a love note to a romantic gift.

You can also try a card game that is designed to help couples talk about their pasts, futures and values. One such game is called TableTopics: Couples and has a series of questions that are split into different categories, such as family, intimacy and couple.

3. Ask Questions

While you’re probably used to asking your partner how their day was, it can be helpful to ask them some deeper questions. This will allow you to learn more about them, as well as build your bond by showing that you care.

You can also use these questions to talk about your future plans together, which will help you feel closer to them as a couple. This is important because it shows that you’re invested in the relationship and want to make it last.

You can also ask your partner about what they find romantic, which will help you both discover your love languages. These conversations can be as light or serious as you want them to be.

4. Take Road Trips

Traveling together is one of the best ways to grow closer to your partner. It helps you gain a new perspective on your relationship and discover things about them that you may not have known before.

Road trips are also a great opportunity to try new experiences together. You can plan ahead and create a list of must-do activities or you can take the opportunity to be spontaneous. Either way, this will give you and your partner a chance to bond over new experiences and create lasting memories.

Of course, road trips can also be stressful and challenging. After being in a small, enclosed space with your partner for 6+ hours, you might learn some things about them that irritate the hell out of you (I’m looking at you, girlfriend who chews gum really loudly and husband who refuses to listen to anything but rap). But these things are good to know so you can work on them as a couple.

5. Laugh a Lot

Laughter is one of the most powerful tools in any relationship. It can make you feel closer to your partner, even on tough days, and can also help to diffuse tension and stress.

Find out what kind of humor your partner enjoys, and try to engage in it as much as possible. Play games like Apples to Apples or Quelf, watch funny movies, or go to a comedy show together. Just be careful not to overdo it on the bitter humor, which can cause your partner to feel hurt and is a sign of a larger problem in the relationship.

The best type of humor is usually self-enhancing, such as poking fun at yourself in a light-hearted way or being observational about daily life. Aggressive humor, such as sarcasm and ridicule, is not beneficial for any relationship.

6. Make an Effort

Sometimes couples get distant because they stop communicating with each other. They go about their day, come home exhausted and go to sleep without ever checking in with each other. This is a big mistake and one of the easiest ways to get closer is simply to talk more.

Start by sitting down with your partner at the end of each day or calling them to share your highs and lows of the day. This will help you reconnect with them on a more emotional level and create fond memories together.

Another way to talk more is by being on time. Being late can make your sweetie feel like you don’t value them and this is a huge turn-off. You should also try to learn more about their hobbies and passions. This will allow you to bond with them over common interests and even surprise them with gifts that are specific to their tastes.