Things couples can do to stay connected instead of texting all day

It’s nice to have the ability to stay in touch with your partner even when they’re at work. But just because you can text them every few minutes doesn’t mean you should. If you’re worried about distracting yourself when you should be getting paid, there are other ways to stay connected without having to hide your phone on your lap under your desk.

1. Write a letter and stick it in their bag. It doesn’t even have to be some long-drawn-out multi-page professions of love. Take some inspo from Peter Kavinsky and keep it short and sweet if that's more your style. Tuck it in their bag, briefcase, or lunchbox so they have something to look forward to in the middle of the day. Write about how you’re excited for tonight’s date, or let them know you appreciate something they did the night before. It’s sweeter than a text.

2. Keep a list of everything that made you think of them. Share it at the end of the day. See a cute dog you think they'd like? Write it down. Walk by one of your favourite restaurants on your break? Write it down.

3. Make each other lunch and keep it a surprise. The night before, plan out a meal for each other and then bag it up so it’s a surprise the next day. It doesn’t have to be a three course meal or anything complicated, but trying to make each other’s favourite foods and put the effort in is a lot of fun. And you both get to take a home cooked meal to work.

4. Write a letter and send it to their office. No one gets post that isn’t a bill anymore. It’s fun to get real post. Sure, this is basically the same idea as tucking a letter into their bag except it has extra steps and makes you pay for a stamp, but people find going old-school romantic. Plus, you get to open a letter at your desk like you’re the kind of important person that still gets letters.

5. Set a ground rule: you get to send each other one picture between 9 and 5. One. This only works if you stay committed to the premise. Instead of texting, you get to send them one picture (after all, it’s worth a thousand words). What you send is up to you: a funny inside joke, a sexy picture, or just your smiling face. Look at it like a game that also keeps your texting to a minimum (also writing stuff in Snapchat or Instagram is cheating).

6. Promise to talk about your day over dinner. This is how people used to do things before mobile phones. Way back in the day. The problem with texting all day is that by the time you both come home there’s nothing left to talk about. You already know all about each other’s day. Save it all for when you get home and talk about it all face to face.

7. Send them flowers, cakes, or get a lunch delivered. This can get expensive real fast. Unless you have enough money to commit to sending your significant other an Edible Arrangement every day, just use this as a fun thing to do as a special surprise. Save it for when they seem to be having a stressful week or just out of the blue to make their day even better.

8. Take 15 minutes to call each other on your lunch breaks. This only works if your breaks line up in any way. But if you can call, you can get a lot out about what’s been going on or things you’ve been thinking about. It should be enough to keep you from the compulsion that you need to get out your phone and text. Alternatively, just call them at work and pretend its official business.

9. Or if you’re close enough, meet for lunch. If you’re lucky enough to be able to break at the same time and you live close enough, you can meet for lunch and talk then. You don’t even need to go out to eat. Pack a lunch and meet in a park (or even a mall if its freezing). If their schedule is flexible enough, you can even show up and surprise them.

10. If it’s feasible, commute together. Spend some quality time on the drive/train up (or if you’re not morning people, just sit in silence) and decompress together on the way down. Knowing your workday is going to be bookended by quality time with your partner will cut down on needless texting.

11. If your need to text is really bad, start a text jar. Put a pound in every time you reach for your phone, and have your SO do the same. At the end of the week put it towards a date night. Just keep in mind that if you’re the kind of person who is typically on their phone constantly, this will bankrupt you.

12. Play Words with Friends. Sure, you’ll still be reaching for your phone, but hopefully not as often. It’s easier to download a game like Pictionary that lets you respond whenever you get a few minutes to yourself, and you won’t feel as obligated to be glued to your screen.