Life is busy. We are all pulled in multiple directions, wearing many hats and trying to thrive rather than just survive. This can mean our relationship can often take a backseat to some of the more pressing demands of daily life. However, for a relationship to thrive and grow, it requires regular attention and effort.
That’s why I have created this 30-day relationship challenge for couples – whether you are looking to add some new spark to your marriage or want to bring back some of those early relationship feelings with your partner.
This is designed to help you and your partner strengthen your bond, deepen your connection, and have fun together along the way. Plus there’s a free printable 30-day relationship challenge to help you follow along.
Why Should You Do a 30-Day Couple Challenge?
This 30-day love challenge is designed to suit couples at all stages of their relationship, however, it’s especially targeted towards those of you who have been in your relationship for a long time. Particularly if you’ve been married for many years!
I know from my own experience of more than 20 years with my partner that it isn’t always easy to keep the romance and passion in the forefront of your mind. Especially once kids come along and your focus tends to shift.
A relationship challenge like this is a great way to prioritise each other, strengthen your marriage and give your intimacy a little boost too. It takes two people to make a better relationship and these small daily tasks are designed to be fun.
Here are some of the other reasons why you should try this 30-day relationship challenge:
- Reconnection: When dealing with busy schedules, this challenge offers a chance to reconnect with your partner on a deeper level.
- Communication: The challenges encourage you to communicate more openly, honestly and frequently with your partner.
- New experiences: During the 30 days, you will be doing a variety of activities that you may not have done together before. This can bring new excitement and novelty to your relationship – and help cure relationship boredom!
- Physical Intimacy: Throughout the challenge, several tasks focus on physical intimacy. These simple gestures can reignite the spark and bring back passion to your relationship.
- Teamwork: The challenges require both partners to work together towards a common goal. This builds teamwork and strengthens your bond as a couple.
This is about the quality time you spend with your partner, with a side of adventure served daily.
30-Day Relationship Challenge
This 30-day relationship challenge is designed to enrich your relationship connection and create new memories together. Through small romantic and fun tasks, you can improve your relationship and boost that connection back up!
Don’t forget to grab the free 30-day relationship challenge printable from my free printables library for quick reference and save this article so you can come back each day and read the detailed prompts to really make the most of this relationship challenge!
Day 1: Hug For 1 Minute
Begin with a simple yet powerful task — hug each other for a full minute. A minute might like a really long time to hug, especially if it has been a while since you did give one another a simple hug.
Try to keep your mind focused on the moment and your partner, rather than on the chores you need to get done or the busy week ahead.
This act of physical touch releases the ‘cuddle hormone’, oxytocin, which fosters trust and connection.
Day 2: Write 10 Things You Love About Your Partner
Take a moment to sit down and jot down the things you adore about your significant other.
It could be their contagious laugh, their unwavering support, or even the way they cut the crusts off your toast because they know you hate crusts.
Expressing your appreciation of one another will give each of you an incredible mood boost and it means you’ve got to focus on all those positives you might have overlooked recently.
Day 3: Have A Screen-Free Night
No phones, TV, or laptops — just the two of you, sharing stories or indulging in silent yet comforting companionship. Stay in and relax together or take your digital detox outdoors. The key is distraction-free time together.
Day 4: Cook A Meal Together
Join forces in the kitchen today. Preparing a meal side by side encourages teamwork and communication. It’s an opportunity to try a new recipe or a favourite dish you both love.
Day 5: Send A Romantic Or Flirty Text Message
Scroll back over the last 10 messages you’ve sent or received. Are they full of mundane things like ‘Can you get milk?’ or ‘Don’t forget to pick up the kids’?
It’s time to inject some romance back into your texts.
Send a message that will make your partner smile and feel special. It could be a heartfelt compliment or a flirty message to make their work break a bit cheeky.
Day 6: Take A Walk Together
Time to get physical… in nature, that is! Head out on a walk with your spouse at the start of the day or in the evening. Explore the neighbourhood or a local trail. A walk gives you both uninterrupted time for conversation, while you choose to set the pace and intensity.
Day 7: Try Something New
Be it a new hobby, activity, or even a new restaurant, today’s about novelty and ideally getting outside your comfort zone. Share the excitement of unknowns and encourage each other through whatever new experience you choose to try.
Doing new things together keeps your relationships exciting and is a great break from routine.
Day 8: Write Each Other Love Notes
Tuck away love notes in unexpected places for each other to find. A simply written, “I love you” love note in his lunch bag or a more elaborate handwritten letter can brighten any day, so today you’re both putting pen to paper.
Day 9: Take The 5 Love Languages Quiz
Understanding how you and your partner best receive love can streamline your communication and to make sure you’re on the same page.
The 5 Love Languages Quiz was developed alongside The 5 Love Languages book by Dr. Gary Chapman, a well-known marriage counsellor, author and speaker in the relationship space.
The quiz allows you to define which of the 5 love language personalities you are, so you can better understand how you like to receive love and how you can each give love in a way that is most meaningful to your partner.
The 5 love languages are defined as:
- Acts of service
- Receiving gifts
- Quality time
- Words of affirmation
- Physical touch
Often we try to give love in the same way we want to receive it, but that’s not always compatible with the love language our partner. This quiz will help you and your partner better understand how you can show up for one another.
Day 10: Share A Favourite Couple Memory
Recall a cherished memory from your relationship and relive it verbally. Sharing these moments of joy creates a sense of nostalgia and appreciation for the time you’ve spent together and often turns into a sentimental sharing of stories and memories that will have you both smiling.
Day 11: Give Each Other Massages
Switch off and get into relaxation mode. Intimate touch through massage is a great way to bond and let the day’s stresses levels melt away.
Put on some calming music, light some candles, and use your favourite massage oil or lotion to create a soothing atmosphere. Then take turns giving each other massages, paying attention to areas that may be holding tension or soreness.
This will not only help you both physically relax but also emotionally connect through affectionate touches.
Day 12: Do Something Fun
Choose an activity that you BOTH enjoy and make it your plan for today!
Day 13: Make Out For 2 Minutes
Bring back the passion with a good old-fashioned make-out session. Kissing for an extended period can release feel-good hormones like oxytocin and dopamine, helping you both feel more connected and in love. Set a timer for 2 minutes and let the sparks fly!
But don’t stop if you don’t want to… turn that timer off and pash on!
Day 14: Reminisce Together
Look through old photographs or watch videos of moments that define your relationship.
This shared trip down memory lane will remind you of your love story’s beautiful moments.
If you have a wedding video that has been collecting dust for a decade, dust it off and watch it together. Same with that old photo album from your first years together.
Day 15: Plan A Surprise Date
Surprise your partner with a special date that you know they will love.
Whether it’s a picnic in the park or a candlelit dinner at home, show them you’ve invested time in making it something that makes your partner feel special.
As for returning the favour, you can either split the day in half and take turns planning your half of the date or schedule the second surprise date night for later in the challenge.
Need some date inspiration? Got you covered:
Day 16: Have A Cozy Night In
Snuggle under a blanket and pick a movie or TV show you both love or pull out the board games for a bit of healthy competition. Don’t forget the snacks!
Day 17: Tell Your Partner One Thing You Need From Them
Open communication about your needs is essential. Be brave and express one thing you currently need from your partner, and provide them with the same space to do the same for you.
Listen without judgment and work together to find a solution that meets both of your needs.
This challenge task can be a tricky one if you have not been great communicators recently but this should be a safe space, with each of you completely open and ready to hear each other’s needs.
Day 18: Give Each Other A Small Gift
It’s not about the cost but the thought. A small token of appreciation can be a lovely way to surprise one another.
Put a gift budget on your spending to make sure you both keep it in a similar cost zone and prepare to be surprised.
Day 19: Go Out For Dessert
Why wait for a celebration to indulge? Going out for a sweet treat on a regular day is a little non-conventional joy that can break up the weekly routine.
Ice cream date? Dessert at your favourite cafe? Or just head to the local supermarket and grab yourselves some indulgent treats to enjoy at home.
Day 20: Compliment Your Partner
Sincere compliments can often go unspoken. Make a conscious effort to verbalise the things you admire about your partner.
Start your day by complimenting one another, but don’t stop there. Try and turn it into a habit for the day (and beyond) with little compliments and gratitude expressed for the things they do and who they are.
Day 21: Ask Each Other Deep Questions
Engage in a heart-to-heart conversation by asking each other deep couple questions.
Deepen your understanding of your partner’s inner world and foster a deeper emotional connection. Or just get to know each other even better.
Sometimes you don’t have to go really deep to still learn something new.
Check out these relationship conversation starters to get you talking.
Day 22: Write Down 10 Things You Love About Your Relationship
Today, the focus shifts from individual traits to your relationship as a whole.
Reflect on what makes your relationship unique and resilient by listing down or speaking out loud 10 things that make you happy about your marriage or relationship.
Remember that today is not about what doesn’t make you happy. it’s all about focusing on what you do like.
Day 23: Have A Spontaneous Date
No planning, just decide to have an unplanned date. The spontaneity will add a dash of excitement to a regular day and hopefully start a new tradition of unexpected fun together.
Day 24: Define 3 Couple Goals Together
Sit down and articulate three goals that you, as a couple, want to strive towards. They could be financial, personal, or relationship-centric.
Setting goals will help you define a shared vision and reinforce the fact that you are a team. Have shared goals keeps you united and helps you stay on a similar path, even when your personal goals go in different directions.
Day 25: Express Your Love Through Physical Touch
Be more conscious of your physical expressions of love today. Hugs, kisses, and hand-holding. Foot rubs, massages and tickles.
These gentle physical touches can communicate love, reassurance and comfort without even saying a word.
Day 26: Write A Couples’ Bucket List
Create a list of things you want to do as a couple over time. Dream big and include everything from travel destinations to activities you’d love to experience together.
Day 27: Slow Dance Together
Put on some romantic music and slow dance your way around the living room.
If you have kids, don’t be afraid to let them see this beautiful moment between you. Seeing their parents be fun and romantic sets a healthy relationship role model for your kids.
Day 28: Make Your Own Date Jar
Prepare for a future of fun date ideas by creating a DIY Date Jar with ideas for later on. This is an exciting way to look forward to spending time together beyond the 30-day challenge.
A date jar is essentially a jar or bag or box (it doesn’t matter what), filled with date ideas. You pull one out at random and that’s your next date.
You can learn how to make your own DIY date jar here.
Day 29: Create A Sentimental Playlist
Music has a big influence on mood and so many songs are linked to emotional responses and memories. Create a playlist of songs that hold special meaning for both of you, evoking the memories and feelings you’ve shared.
Day 30: Reflect On Your Relationship & Plan Beyond The Challenge
Take today to acknowledge the growth and the moments you’ve shared during the 30 days. Discuss what you enjoyed about this 30-day challenge and what you found difficult.
Talk about the future and how you plan to incorporate the positive changes you’ve made into your daily life as well as areas that still need some focus, with an action plan for how you can do this as a couple.
Free Printable 30-Day Relationship Challenge
Grab the free printable 30-day couple challenge calendar so you can easily follow along with each of the daily tasks. You can get this challenge printable in my free printables library here.
GET THIS PRINTABLE IN MY FREE PRINTABLES LIBRARY!
The 30-day relationship challenge is not just about the activities. It’s about dedicating time to each other, reigniting the passion, and nurturing the love that brought you together.
The effort you put into each day not only strengthens your relationship but flows over into other areas of your life too! Happy wife, happy life… and happy husband too!
