This one caught me by surprise. John Gottman, the marraige researcher, came across this discovery after years of studying couples. He discovered that couples that spend at least 17 hours a week together, doing common and joint activities, were more happy and successful at negotiating differences.

This doesn’t include things like sex, or riding in the car together not talking. It did mean talking for 17 hours either. It simply meant that they spend many hours on common interests. She went shopping and he went with her. He went to the gun store she went with him. They worked on doing the dishes together, or reading a book together or watching a movie together.