...this is how you keep love strong ❤️

By Simone from Happytoys

Running your own business can be incredibly fun; I know all about it. You build something you are proud of, make plans, take decisions, and are constantly working on new ideas. But let’s be honest: entrepreneurship can also demand quite a lot from you.

Before you know it, your days are filled with appointments, phone calls, administration, deadlines, and things that “still need to be done.” And somewhere in between, you try to find time for your partner, family, and yourself.

I recognize that feeling all too well.

At Happytoys, we know how important it is not only to pay attention to what you do, but also to who is standing beside you. A good relationship, just like a business, requires attention, communication, and sometimes a conscious choice to put everything else aside for a moment.

That is why today I am sharing a few practical tips on how to better combine work and love, and how I do it :-)

1. Determine your goals together

In a business, you regularly think about the future. Where do we want to go? What do we want to achieve? And where will we be in a few years?

Actually, those are great questions to answer together as a couple as well.

What do you value?

Have a calm conversation about your shared future. Perhaps you dream of traveling a lot, a family, more free time, your own home, or perhaps a life where you work together as much as possible.

There is no right or wrong answer. It is about knowing what is important to you.

When you have clarity together on where you want to go, many daily choices become easier.

2. Discover what makes your partner feel truly loved

Everyone experiences love in a different way. For one person, it means sitting on the couch together, while another becomes very happy from a sweet message, an unexpected surprise, or practical help.

Ask each other this question

“When do you feel most loved?”

You can both make a list of things that are important to you. Not just the big romantic gestures, but the small things, too.

Think of:

• having breakfast together without phones;

• an unexpected text message during the day;

• truly listening to each other;

• going for a walk together;

• helping each other when things are busy;

• consciously making time for intimacy.

You will often discover that small things can make a big difference.

3. Regularly schedule time for each other

This might not sound very romantic: putting love in your calendar. Yet, it can work incredibly well.

When your calendar fills up every day, there is a risk that time for your partner is constantly pushed to tomorrow.

A weekly check-in

For example, schedule one fixed moment per week where you pause and connect.

No phones, no laptop, and preferably no distractions.

Ask each other, for instance:

• How are you really doing?

• Is there anything bothering you?

• Do you have enough time for yourself?

• What can we make time for together this week?

• Is there anything I can do for you?

Twenty minutes of genuine attention can sometimes mean more than an entire evening where you both stare at a screen with half an eye.

4. Look at your calendars together

Especially when both partners work or run a business, shared planning can provide a lot of peace.

Make room for work and private life

Discuss what your week looks like at the start of the week.

Does one of you have an important appointment? Is it going to be a busy week? Are there times when someone needs a bit of rest?

By discussing this in advance, you prevent your partner from only finding out how busy you actually were afterward.

And don't forget to actually keep free time free.

Rest, hobbies, relaxation, and time together are not a waste of time. They actually help to recharge your energy.

5. Leave your work behind when you come home

One of the hardest things for entrepreneurs can be to actually switch out of work mode.

Especially when you work from home, the transition between entrepreneur and partner is sometimes only a few meters long.

Create a personal transition moment

When you are done with work, consciously distance yourself.

This can be as simple as:

• closing your laptop;

• putting your phone on silent;

• going for a walk;

• changing your clothes;

• having a cup of coffee;

• or simply saying to yourself: “My workday is over.”

The goal isn't that work suddenly disappears from your mind. It is about consciously choosing to focus your attention on your life at home again.

6. Make agreements about screen-free moments

Our phones are fantastic. We manage almost everything with them. But they can also invisibly come between two people.

Consciously put the phone away

For example, agree not to use phones during dinner.

Or make a certain time in the evening a screen-free moment.

The bedroom can also be a great place to keep phones out of sight. This literally creates more space for each other.

And that space can, in turn, lead to more conversations, touch, relaxation, and intimacy.

7. Accept that you don’t need the same things in every period

Life consists of different phases.

Sometimes you are in the middle of a busy period at work. Sometimes the family requires extra attention. Sometimes one of you simply needs a bit more rest.

Talk about it openly

Say, for example:

“It’s going to be busier at work over the next few months. I want to prevent you from feeling like you’re coming in second place. How can we ensure we still have enough time for each other?”

These kinds of conversations can prevent many misunderstandings.

You don’t have to be perfectly balanced every day. The most important thing is that you keep looking together at what you need.

Love doesn’t have to be another task on your to-do list

As an entrepreneur, you are likely used to setting goals and organizing things efficiently. But a relationship is, of course, not a business.

Still, some business principles can be surprisingly helpful.

Not by turning love into a project, but by consciously giving attention to what is truly important.

A relationship is ultimately not about how much time you have, but about how you use the time you have together.

And don't forget intimacy ❤️

When life gets busy, intimacy is often one of the first things that fade into the background. Not because the love is diminishing, but simply because there are so many other things demanding attention.

Yet, intimacy can be a beautiful way to come back together.

Make room for discovery

Intimacy doesn’t always have to be grand or complicated. Sometimes it starts with a good conversation, a hug, a massage, or simply some extra attention for each other.

And if you want to discover something new together, a lubricant or a toy can be a fun addition. Not because it’s a “must,” but because experimenting together can be a playful way to rediscover one another.

The most important thing remains: talk to each other and express what feels good.

Rather Happy than Easy

At Happytoys, we don't say for nothing:

“Rather Happy than Easy.”

Because the easiest choice is not always the most fun. In a relationship, that sometimes means consciously putting your phone away, clearing your schedule, having a difficult conversation, or simply choosing for each other.

You don’t have to be available for your partner for hours every single day.

But a little attention, a good conversation, and regularly making time for each other can mean an awful lot.

And perhaps that is one of the most beautiful things about a relationship: continuing to discover together what makes you Happy. ❤️

Love,

Simone from Happytoys