Couple's trips are never easy. Up to 73 percent of couples reported having a serious argument on their first trip. A weekend getaway with your spouse can be a chance to escape the pressures and stresses of everyday life. But, it can also be a breeding ground for tension, irritation, frustration, and potential breakup, especially when there’s too much pressure, expectations leading up to it. Communicating and managing your expectations puts the odds of having a fight-free trip in your favor. It will also ease the pressures of the trip, allowing you to relax and focus on the one thing that matters - your relationship. To get a handle on your expectations, change your mindset. Instead of viewing your first vacation for two as a trip of your lifetime, treat it as just another trip.

1. TIPS FOR SURVIVING YOUR FIRST TRIP
AS A COUPLE
Timothy Kovacs

2. INTRODUCTION
Couple's trips are never easy. Up to 73 percent of couples reported
having a serious argument on their first trip. A weekend getaway with
your spouse can be a chance to escape the pressures and stresses of
everyday life. But, it can also be a breeding ground for tension,
irritation, frustration, and potential breakup, especially when there’s
too much pressure, expectations leading up to it.

3. Communicating and managing your expectations puts the odds of
having a fight-free trip in your favor. It will also ease the pressures
of the trip, allowing you to relax and focus on the one thing that
matters - your relationship. To get a handle on your expectations,
change your mindset. Instead of viewing your first vacation for two
as a trip of your lifetime, treat it as just another trip.

4. Remember that nothing, except the environment, changes. You
will be dealing with the same person you’ve been dealing with at
home. That means they’ll still be having the same baggage, fears,
boundaries, and other misgivings. So don’t expect them to
suddenly be different simply because they are in a different
environment.

5. If you are married with children, a vacation can be a great
opportunity for quality couples time. That said, avoid the
temptation to suffocate your significant other. Autonomy matters
just as much when vacationing, so remember to give each other
some breathing space.

6. The occasional time apart during a trip can rekindle the fire in
your relationship. If, for instance, one of you enjoys window-
shopping while the other would rather spend the evenings
running, embrace the differences in interests. Use the time apart
for deep thinking. You are well ahead of most couples if you can
plan for a trip without fighting. Most couples never get past the
planning stage, with up to 14 percent fighting and breaking up
during planning.

7. Plan together, remember to be open-minded about it, and prepare
for trade-offs. Be sensitive to your partner’s interests, opinions,
and preferences. Listen to what they have to say concerning
activities, budget, schedule, and other details that may be
important to them. Then work out a compromise.

8. Be careful with the surprises. If you’re planning a surprise
vacation for two, you won’t be able to communicate or seek their
input. That’s why knowing your partner very well helps you avoid
the pitfalls of traveling together for the first time.

9. Experts recommend new couples wait up to seven months before
traveling together. This gives each time to understand their
partner better – their pressure points, triggers, tolerance levels,
and shortcomings – before embarking on a trip.

10. Travel fast-forwards the natural evolution of a relationship. This
may explain why most couples don’t survive their first trip
together. So, if you want to find out the fate of your relationship
sooner rather than later, there’s no reason to wait for seven
months.

11. Much consideration, compromise, and communication go into
having a fulfilling trip as a couple. Even so, your upcoming trip as
a couple shouldn’t be a make-or-break affair, so ease the pressure
on both your partner and yourself by managing your expectations
and focusing on yourself. Above all, remember that the point is to
have fun, not avoid confrontations.