If you want a better marriage, try putting the following five tips into action:

1. Show appreciation for one another.

After you have been with someone for a long time, it is easy to fall into the habit of taking them for granted. Unfortunately, this can lead to major problems in your marriage. It is important for you and your spouse to show appreciation for one another. Treat each other with respect, providing support and showing consideration for each other’s feelings. Try to treat your spouse with empathy. Don’t dismiss their concerns or their ideas. Instead, try to see things from their point of view.

Maintaining a good marriage involves more than just making sure that you don’t forget an anniversary or a birthday. Instead, if you want to show your spouse how much you appreciate them, you need to pay attention to how they are feeling. You also need to take their thoughts and concerns seriously. Practice active listening to show them that what they are saying really matters to you. Finally, don’t forget to show them how much you love them every day.

2. Don’t be afraid to spice things up in the bedroom.

Intimacy is an important part of any relationship. Unfortunately, life has a tendency to get in the way. Oftentimes, sex gets pushed to the side. To reignite the spark that you first felt for one another, you may need to get a little bit creative. Try leaving seductive notes for each other. Spend time flirting. Finally, consider scheduling time for one-on-one interaction.

If you have a TV in your bedroom, you should consider getting rid of it. Instead of watching TV at night, you and your spouse can spend time reconnecting with one another through shared intimacy.

3. Pitch in around the house.

Sharing household duties equally is important for any marriage. If one person feels like they are doing the brunt of the work, they are likely to feel resentful.

This is especially true if both of you have jobs. All of the household work shouldn’t fall to just one spouse or the other. Instead, you should try to share tasks like shopping, caring for children, cooking, and cleaning equally. Having excess clutter around your house can increase the amount of stress that you feel. Consider trying to find a way that the two of you can minimize clutter around your home to create a more soothing, welcoming space.

4. Discuss money openly.

Money problems are one of the leading causes of marital difficulties. It is important to talk about money openly with your spouse. Discuss everything from your current bills to any long-term goals that you have. If you are working with a limited budget, careful planning can help alleviate some of the stress. Consider meeting with a financial advisor or even having couples counseling can help. Alternatively, you can even go to financial workshops together. Learning how to manage money effectively is one of the best things that you can do for your relationship.

5. Take a more minimalistic approach to living.

Today, most people spend the vast majority of their time at work, performing maintenance around the home, volunteering for different activities, and spending time with their friends. Unfortunately, very little time usually gets set aside for spending time with your spouse. Evaluate your schedule to find areas where you may be able to cut back. That way, you will have more time to spend with each other. Over the years, you should repeat this process periodically, making sure that you leave room in your schedule for nurturing your relationship.

If you are stressed out all the time because of a busy schedule, it is extremely hard to maintain a healthy relationship. Take an honest look at your life and figure out if there are ways that you can simplify it. For instance, moving to a smaller space may save you enough money that you can spend less time working and more time with your family.