Feb. 12, 2021 — Covid-19 (and its subsequent quarantine protocols and lockdown restrictions) has brought a whole new meaning to togetherness. Here, to celebrate Valentine’s Day, we’ve culled four key tips for leading healthy relationships in the age of the coronavirus.

Working overtime? Set boundaries. “For couples who are working at home, it helps to set boundaries between work hours and time spent together,” shares Chris Kraft, Ph.D., a psychologist and expert in relationships and sexuality, in a recent read from John Hopkins Medicine. “The anxiety caused by the pandemic may tempt some people to lose themselves in work, particularly people who invest a lot of their personal identity in their professions…”
There’s no “I” in team, but there is one in quarantine. In a recent article from Refinery29, Moraya Seeger DeGeare, MA, a licensed marriage and family therapist and the co-owner of BFF Therapy, shares that “I statements” can be put to good use amid all of this together time. In other words, “drop the blaming ‘you statements’ from your vocab.” Read on. 
Stay connected to a support system. In these turbulent times, leaning on your friends and family is crucial. But if scheduling another Zoom call makes you want to scream, consider planning an outdoor distanced happy hour, shares SELF. “It’s near impossible for our partners to fill every one of our social and emotional needs, so these additional relationships are crucial,” writes Colleen Stinchcombe.
Free-time fun…What’s yours? The places that you typically frequented pre-Covid (gyms, restaurants, etc.) may not be an option right now—or they may have limited occupancy. In a recent DW post, psychologist and sex researcher Marieke Dewitte of Maastricht University urges that it's time to develop new interests. Whether you take on cooking together or dig deep into a Netflix series, avoid the urge to dwell on the negative effects of more time spent at home.