9 Tips to De-stress Your Football-Mad Partner and Your Relationship
While players and football fans gear up for the World Cup, their relationship partners similarly brace themselves for a potentially tough days ahead.
Research conducted by Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd disclosed that roughly 20% of British couples go through relationship issues during the frenzy of football season. It appears that tension in the field translates to conflict at the home front as well. As the partner of an edgy and excitable football enthusiast, you can do several things to make sure that your relationship thrives during the football season.
1. Share this special moment with your partner.
If you also enjoy the game or, at the very least, can endure sitting through it with your partner, then share this special time with him. He will surely appreciate your gesture and your interest in his passion. This “sacrifice” on your part will be well-remembered especially when it’s his turn to do something nice for you.
2. Silence is priceless.
Avoid talking and asking questions during a match, especially about non-football related concerns and particularly during the most exciting moments of the game.
3. Too much information is really too much.
Do not ever reveal the score and the turnout before your partner has watched the game. This can really spoil what should otherwise be a pleasurable and rewarding experience.
4. Value the game.
Acknowledge and appreciate how important the game is to your partner. Do not discount the importance of the game and do not ever shrug it off as if saying “It’s JUST a game.” It’s very important to your partner, so it should be equally important to you.
5. Anticipate and be tolerant of your partner’s emotional highs and lows.
Understand that developments in the game will affect your partner’s mood and emotional state. If things don’t work out for the team he is rooting for, your partner may be anxious, depressed and irritable. It may not have anything to do with you, so try not to take it personally and be supportive.
6. Relax and exercise together.
Encourage your partner to engage in some exercise with you. Go for a brisk walk or jog to help diffuse stress, adrenaline and testosterone-driven emotions. Going for a massage or to a relaxing spa can also help your partner lighten up and ease game-related stress.
7. Keep it real.
Acknowledge how powerful emotions can be and gently remind your partner about the need to keep tantrums and emotions in check. Try to assist your partner in keeping in touch with reality by occasionally discussing mundane activities and household concerns with him. A lot of men behave like children when it comes to football. Hopefully, discussing and dealing with these matters will remind him that he is an adult and keep him from getting too wrapped up in the game.
8. Take advantage of this chance to engage in some “me-time.”
While your partner is in his zone and is totally wrapped up in his game and you would rather not intrude on this special time, you can take advantage and designate this as your very own “me-time.” Plan the activities that you would love to do solo or with your other friends. With you busy doing something else that you genuinely enjoy, your partner would not feel guilty about not having enough time for you, allowing him to enjoy his game even more.
9. Discuss both your feelings openly and calmly.
If you find your partner’s football-related stories, habits, antics, thoughts and desires incomprehensible and uninteresting, have a calm discussion about your feelings. Without accusing or blaming him for anything and without going into a heated argument, talk about how each other feels and explore where each stands in this situation. You may not convince each other of your respective perspectives but at least, knowing how each one feels can encourage an attitude of mutual respect and tolerance.
Football season need not be a dreaded time for partners. It could very well be an occasion for bonding and happy moments shared as a couple or separately. With these suggestions, your relationship cannot only endure but could even thrive during this most exciting and emotion-filled season.