Long distance relationships can often be a drag. We are ridiculed by our peers who think it won’t last, and reminded by couples in society of how lonely the separation is.
I’m sure you have searched online how to enhance your LDR by finding new activities to do on Skype, but you’re always left doing the same old routine, talking about each other’s day, asking questions, playing games, watching a movie, and cooking together.
What if I were to tell you that if you and your partner were to watch the right kind of shows on a regular basis, it can develop new conversations, condition a positive experience, and even enhance your closeness!
Life Is Better When You’re Laughing
There are a multitude of different genres to watch, and each will provide a variety of feelings. Humorous TV shows will give the two of you a good laugh. Laughing together sends endorphins to our brains and makes us feel good. By sharing endorphin-rich activities or moments on Skype, it creates a stronger bonding experience.
Watching dramas can allow you both to travel through a virtual journey together and give you a daily or weekly conversation topic. You can talk about who your favourite characters are, what you’ll predict will happen next, and discuss any of the major highlights during that episode.
Having these types of conversation exchanges can lead into the ‘bigger picture’ conversations. Any show you watch together could be a starting point from which you can initiate a great debate or an opportunity to discuss your values.
Watching TV Together Can Inspire Closeness
Just because you’re in a LDR does not mean you cannot have a weekly TV show to watch with your partner. This helps make me feel more together “in the moment” with my partner because it’s what we would be doing if we lived together.
If you combine the feeling of happiness you get from watching TV with the comfort of enjoying it with your partner, you’ll create a positive association between these two activities. Instead of using TV for passing the time, you could see it as an exclusive activity for the two of you to share.
Watching TV Can Develop Your Negotiation Skills
Deciding what TV shows to watch and when can be a bit complicated, but in truth, the negotiation skills that go into making your choices and scheduling can be demonstrative of how you and your partners’ general negotiating skills will play out in the future.
As a couple (after you close the gap) you will eventually negotiate who takes out the garbage, who washes the dishes, who makes the bed, etc. Bargaining what to watch is just a reflection of how you will negotiate most other things in your relationship. All healthy relationships have open lines of communication and negotiation.
Since so much of your time spent during your LDR is devoted to making the separation less painful and more enjoyable until the distance is closed, you’ll want to ensure that you and your partner’s online activities are going to be healthy for your relationship. Because portions of that time will be spent watching TV shows or movies, make sure it’s satisfiable for the both of you.
Be sure to check out these resources that will help make watching tv together from afar much easier:
6 Places to Watch Free Movies & TV Shows online | A list of over 50 Long Distance Themed Movies
Rabbit – Watch Netflix with Friends Online! | 8 Ways to Watch Videos Together in Synch!