Planning a date night can create a unique mixture of pleasure and worry for busy people. You love spending time with your partner once you’re on date night but planning the date is a hurdle. It can be a challenge to find both the right time and the right idea for date night when you are drowning in work and other life commitments.
So, how can you make planning a date night seamless as a busy person? Read on and we’ll show you 4 tried-and-true tips to make planning your next date night as easy as enjoying it.
The Ultimate Picnic Date Checklist
1) Set up regular date night planning reminders
You might already have recurring date night reminders plugged into your calendar, but if you don’t have an actual plan for that date night, it’s too easy to throw your hands up in the air on the night and skip it.
That’s why we recommend also having recurring reminders to make a plan for date night. Just 20 minutes with your partner to chat through some options can be enough. Try to ensure that you have, at a minimum:
- A date
- A time
- A place
- An activity (or a couple of activities)
- A plan to get there (and back!)
That way, when you hit the date night itself, it’s as easy as heading out the door. No need to come up with an idea. Just go out and enjoy yourself!
If you’ve already downloaded Cupla, our shared calendar app designed for couples, our app will send you regular date night reminders. You can also discover date ideas your partner has favourited using our Hints feature to make the planning process even easier. And it’ll even find empty spaces in both your calendars that are ideal to fill with a date night.
2) Never waste a cancelled event
We get it – your time fills up fast. There’s always a meeting, a project deadline, an event. This goes double if your partner is in the same busy boat. It’s probably a big part of the reason why you’re reading this blog – you’ve simply run out of time to plan a date night!
But what if we told you that you can use all those work meetings to your advantage?
When one of your engagements gets cancelled or postponed, consider using that time for a dinner date instead. It’s not just about ensuring you don’t have a gap of unused time that you’d otherwise waste, but it also makes for a lovely surprise for your partner.
Just think: they’re expecting you home late, tired after a long work meeting. Instead, you surprise them with a meal out, a movie, or one of your pre-planned date ideas (see tip 1).
Of course, this all relies on your partner having some open time as well. That’s why a shared calendar app that identifies these open spots can make planning a date night so much easier. And it’s one of the primary features of Cupla (wink wink nudge nudge).
3) Plan the next date night on the way home from the last one
Admit it: at least once, you’ve come back to work from leave, sat down at your desk, looked at the hundreds of emails you have to get through – and immediately started planning your next holiday. Don’t worry, we’ve all done it.
But did you know that you can use that same energy for your date nights as well? After you’ve spent some time with your partner on a date and you’re heading back home, have a chat about what you should do for your next one.
You’re already in “date night mode” and you both have why date night is so important right at the front of your mind. As a result, you and your partner are far more likely to have some enthusiastic suggestions for your next night out.
The key here isn’t just to have the chat, but to make a solid plan as well. Get whoever’s not driving to jot down your ideas, and plug them into your shared calendar once you’re home (or on the way, if you’re using the Cupla mobile app). That way, the ideas don’t just stay ideas!
4) Batch & expand your date night planning
There are a few classic date night ideas, dinner-and-a-movie chief among them. There’s a reason for that – these kinds of dates are straightforward, easy to plan, and have lots of opportunities to spend quality time with your partner.
However, did you know that straying away from the same old date nights can improve your relationship? In fact, studies have shown that spreading your wings can significantly improve your closeness with your partner. The easy choice isn’t always the best choice.
So how do you best explore? The key is to find something unusual but mutually enjoyable. We suggest planning 5 dates in one go, using a mixture of classic ideas that you know you both like, and something a little different. This means that you always have something ready to go when date night rolls around.
This mixes well with tip 1 (make planning part of your routine) and tip 2 (using a cancelled meeting as a date night instead).
If you’re using Cupla, our date night suggestions will be able to sort you out with both tried-and-true ideas and brand new experiments. But here’s a suggestion right off the bat: use your date planning session as a date night in itself!
Making plans for future activities is a great way to connect and bond with your partner, and all you need is a clear evening, a pen and pad of paper for ideas, and some creativity. Oh, and maybe a glass of wine to get the ideas flowing!
Looking for more ideas?
Try any (or all) of these tips to make your next date night less about the plan and more about having fun with the loved one in your life. Cupla can make your next date night easy, with built-in reminders for both you and your partner as well as suggestions for your next date night. Take the pain out of planning!
