Connections to Experts: Keeping the Love Alive

It takes an incredible amount of time, effort and attention to run a business. As most entrepreneurs can attest, this often impacts one’s home life. EO speaker, author and sex educator Lou Paget offers some tips for keeping the love alive at home.

Being an entrepreneur can be very time-consuming. What can one do to ensure his or her spouse feels supported?

“In the same way entrepreneurs look for ways to improve their businesses, they can do the same things when it comes to their relationships at home. For example:

• Make time to nurture the relationship, not just maintain it. This means doing things so the relationship can continue to grow. Use the entrepreneurial skill of ‘Who do I listen to?’ to choose valid resources and ideas.

• Practice your ‘Start and End-of-Day Hug.’ When you leave home, and as soon as you return, give your spouse a warm, big hug, and hold it for 10 seconds.

• Attention, attention, attention. Giving someone your true attention is your most seductive behavior. Set aside 10 minutes of ‘our time’ each night before bed, and remember to turn off the TV in the bedroom (it’s a noisy third person).

• Tell your partner how much you appreciate all that they do … even if you don’t see it. Feeling respected and acknowledged is huge for both parties.

• Keep your partner in the loop when it comes to business projects. This creates a shared history, and he or she will feel more connected to what you’re doing.”

How can entrepreneurs keep the love alive while traveling?
“For starters, write out notes or cards for your spouse to find while you’re away, and stash them in creative places; they MUST be handwritten! This is a powerful way to maintain connection with your significant other. It will create a physical reminder of you that they can hold and look at while you’re away. Also, while you’re traveling, maintain visual contact via Skype. This way you can see facial reactions and hear the tone of each other’s voices, which is lost in text-only communication.”

Do you have any other tips for our members?
“At the end of the day, attention to your partner and intention to support the relationship are the two factors that will determine how you and your spouse feel. Also, it’s important to know that reigniting a romance only takes place when both partners want it. One partner can be the initiator, but the intention has to come from both sides. Love will bring you together; respecting one another will keep you together.”

Lou Paget is the CEO and president of Frankly Speaking, Inc. She is also an AASECT-certified sex educator and a best-selling author of five books, including How to Be a Great Lover. You can e-mail her at [email protected].