Category Archives: Relationships

The Benefits of Marriage

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Becoming Healthier

If you’re considering marriage, you will soon have access to a multitude of benefits. According to many studies, married men and women typically live longer than their unmarried counterparts. The likelihood of disease is also reduced. During a survey of more than 3.5 million American men and women, medical professionals identified that married couples have a 5 percent lower risk of having cardiovascular disease. In addition to this, married couples tend to be healthier mentally and physically. However, according to Christine Proulx, an assistant professor at the University of Missouri Department of Human Development and Family Studies, both positive and negative relationships impact a person’s health. This indicates that the many health benefits attributed to marriage are only present for couples that are happily married.

Practical Benefits

During times of crisis, spouses have visitation rights to hospitals and can make important medical decisions on behalf of their spouse in the event that they have suffered a severe injury or illness. In addition to this, most employers offer family sick leave, bereavement leave, and family health insurance to their employees. This provides couples with a less expensive option for health insurance. Although unfortunate, approximately 50% of marriages fail. In the event that there is dissolution of marriage, the distribution of property and award of child custody and support is determined. This uniform system of sorting out a relationship end doesn’t exist outside of marriage, and makes it an important practical benefit.

Financial Rewards

The addition of a new income plus the many tax and consumer benefits indicate that there are many financial rewards associated with marriage. Lisa Arnold and Christina Campbell, authors of “The High Price of Being Single in America” state that over the course of a lifetime, a single woman could pay an extra $1,022,096 in costs compared to a married woman with the same income. Married couples that file joint income tax returns will likely qualify for a greater refund. In addition, they can be treated as an economic unit and obtain joint health, home, and auto policies at a discounted rate. Also, if both spouses have good credit, there will be an immediate credit increase. This will further their financial rewards by allowing them to get better home and auto loans. Other financial benefits that are available in some instances include disability, social security, and pension.

Resources

Married People Less Likely to Have Cardiovascular Problems, According to Large-Scale Study by Researchers at NYU Langone. (2014, March 28). The Office of Communications & Public Affairs. http://communications.med.nyu.edu/media-relations/news/married-people-less-likely-have-cardiovascular-problems-according-large-scale-s

Edwards, V. (2013, May 29). Single v. married: Which costs more?. MSN Money. http://money.msn.com/gen-x/single-v-married-which-costs-more

Emling, S. (2013, February 14). A Happy Marriage Leads To Better Health, Study Finds.The Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/married-couples-healthier-than-singles-study_n_2686051.html

Waite, Linda J. Why Marriage Matters Strengthening Marriage Roundtable. Washington, DC, June 1997

Finding Time for Your Love

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How do you find time for each other when the world is swirling all around you with other demands? Couples who are in love nowadays are likely to find it challenging to focus on each other beyond the initial falling in love craze-phase. And yet, that is one of the essential components of being able to stay in love, get married, and continue on in a love that can last a lifetime.

Who doesn’t remember staying on the phone for hours with a girlfriend or boyfriend and then finding it impossible to say goodbye to each other and actually hang up the phone? Back then, you had hours of time for each other, without question. Months or years later, some couples feel they can barely give up 10 or 15 minutes of time for a call or conversation with each other.

So how does one combat this problem? First, remember the initial importance you placed on your partner and strive to put them as “the” high priority in your daily life again. Think of one or two new routines you can develop where you are purposefully scheduling in at least 15 minutes of dedicated time to connect with your loved one every day. Ideas can include a regular coffee time together before work, an evening walk together, or some other creative idea that occurs to you. Have a brainstorming session with your love about this to come up with a suitable and equally enjoyable idea.

Second, remember that housework and chores can usually wait or get put on a to-do list for another day (so long as your roof isn’t leaking or your car is working enough to get you to work). But besides such obvious emergencies, you can usually plan on prioritizing time in favor of your fiancé or spouse before dealing with other life demands. Another idea can be to include your beloved in some of those other activities so that you are both dealing with the life demand together, when possible.

But what about work? Well, although work is important for personal, worldly, and your financial needs, recognize and accept that you can only do so much in a day. After all, you are only one human being and have certain limitations, such as a need for sleep! Also, think about it this way to see if it helps you towards your goal of spending more time with your love. It is easier to get another job, if needed, but impossible to replace your irreplaceable, unique loved one. So it’s vital to not put your relationship at risk. Freely give and make time for your partner. Work at improving the balance of time in your daily life to include work issues, other life issues, but especially time for your love.

In the end, to live with less stress, be a productive worker, and enjoy a great relationship with your love, you will need to make clearer decisions about with whom and on what you will spend your time, when, for how long, and why. Keep the “why” or goal in the forefront of your mind, such as a goal of maintaining closeness with your love or maintaining a happy marriage with your love. This can help you stay on track with your time management decisions. Balance your time purposefully and creatively between your work, home, and relationships and you’re likely to discover that time for your love also results in a life well lived.

Elizabeth Hekimian-Williams with Envision Love, LLC offers a fun and interactive online premarital preparation course that provides couples with more ideas and opportunities to bolster their relationship. Visit http://www.FLPremaritalCourse.com to get started on the path towards enjoying a long-lasting and happy marriage.