Too Busy For Love? Try A Part-Time Relationship

In these busy times, finding the physical space in your life to take care of your sexual wellness and wellbeing can be quite a challenge. Now the part-time romance has become the favoured form of low maintenance relationship, for those people who simply don’t have the time and certainly don’t have the desire for a full-blown relationship. Busy, independent young professionals are increasingly indulging in casual relationships which take up as little time and energy as possible whilst still meeting their needs.

 

Parttimelove.co.uk is a new website set up based around this concept. It was launched by journalist, blogger and relationship author Helen Croydon, based on the idea that people often want to find meaningful romance but don’t have time for all the obligations that usually go with it. So, if you’re looking for a partner to sleep with, have pleasant times with but avoid meeting the parents, this might be the one for you. On the website, there is a database of all members who have selected to opt in from other dating sites. It costs upwards of £20 for membership and users have a profile picture and a biography, the same as any other dating site. The only difference is that all those who are on the site understand that every member wants to retain their independence. Shift workers in the health profession find the site useful, as they are able to have a relationship that works around their irregular hours. Casual relationships understand that there are times when their new squeeze can’t see them, which is different to how things normally work in the dating world. Others who join have recently come out of long-term relationships so want to be clear that they are not looking for commitment, but without playing any games.

Categories: Busy, casual relationships, dating, part, relationship, site, time

Not Getting Any: Four Reasons Why You’ve Stopped Having Sex

After you’ve been in a relationship for a while, your sexual wellness tends to wilt. However, not having sex shouldn’t be a “normal” part of life; it’s a real sexual health issue. It’s never time to give up on sex, so let’s look at why you’re not getting any.

 

1. Your bedroom is more “boardroom” than “boudoir”.

Your bed is a sacred place, reserved for the two greatest things in life; sex and sleep. So how are you going to get in the mood if you’re typing away on your laptop while your partner reads the newspaper? Anita H. Clayton, MD, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Virginia and author of Satisfaction: Women, Sex, and the Quest for Intimacy, recommends making the bedroom a no-technology zone, and giving sex the priority it deserves – even if it means scheduling it in!

 

2. Your medications are sapping your sex drive.

If you take oral contraceptives (OCs) so you can have worry-free sex, the oestrogen content of those magic little pills might be lowering your libido, says Michael Krychman, MD, medical director of sexual medicine at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, California. Other medications, such as antidepressants and those that reduce blood pressure, anxiety and acid reflux, may also stall your sex drive, so talk to your GP about the sexual side effects of all of your drugs, and consider alternatives.

 

3. You’re too busy.

Not only are you trying to cram a 30-hour day into 12, but the chronic stresses of modern life can also take its toll on your sexual wellbeing, triggering a cascade of hormonal changes that mess with your body’s sexual-response cycle. Sex therapist Linda De Villers, PhD, advises taking a soothing bath with a few drops of ylang-ylang essential oil. This allows you to shift out of that busy mindset, take a break from technology and get those sexual feelings heightened with that arousing aroma.

 

4. You don’t want to get your body out.

According to Clayton, ‘Emotionally, we’ve bought into the media’s idealisation of what is really sexy. The message is; you have to look a certain way in order to have really good sex.’ However, De Villers argues, ‘Women have a talent for disliking the very things about themselves that other people find very attractive.’ So ask your partner what he likes about your body – chances are he’s going gaga over the very part of you that you’re trying to hide.

Categories: body, Body Confidence, Busy, life, nbsp, Sex, Sex Drive, sexual, technology

The Recipe for Wellness Success for Busy Families

You want to ensure your child’s wellbeing by making sure they have the healthiest diet possible, but for busy parents this can be a challenge. However, family mealtimes are still important for the wellness of everyone, even if you’re all on the go. Family meals set the stage for healthy eating, as well as allowing you all to connect and to teach your children good table manners and conversational skills, so how do you make time for family meals as well as work?

 

According to dietician Janice Bissex, ‘Research shows that kids who eat breakfast on a regular basis take in more nutrients overall, including fibre, are less overweight and fare better on academic tests than children who miss the morning meal’. Bissex recommends that ‘Complex carbohydrates are the cornerstone of the most beneficial breakfasts because they produce a long-lasting supply of glucose for the brain and body’ and you all need protein, fibre and fat as part of breakfast to feel fuller longer.

 

Therefore, top fortified multi-grain breakfast cereals with fresh, dried or frozen fruit, or melt reduced-fat Cheddar cheese on granary toast. Give everyone half a wholemeal bagel with salmon and low-fat cream cheese or half a wholemeal breakfast muffin with peanut butter and a banana on the side.

 

Further, if you’re busy don’t underestimate the power of planning. According to Janet Helm, a registered dietician and working mother of twins, ‘You can’t make nutritious foods without a well-stocked pantry, refrigerator and freezer’ as knowing ‘what you have on hand and where it is streamlines meal preparation.’ You don’t need to make every meal from scratch, and Helm never goes without frozen seafood, shop-bought roasted chicken and pre-cut and frozen fruits and vegetables on her shopping list because they are good for you and easy to use. Also, stock up on eggs, canned tuna or salmon, granary breads, grated hard cheese, such as Cheddar and frozen boneless, skinless chicken breast, as well as liquid essentials such as balsamic vinegar, milk, and olive oil and pasta sauce.

 

Even prepared foods and takeaways can be made into healthy options when you include the right side dishes. A thin-based pizza with a large green or fruit salad will be a nourishing favourite with your kids and your local supermarket provides a roasted chicken and pre-washed mixed greens for a quick and healthy meal that’s hard to beat. It’s always better to plan and prepare in advance, but there’s no reason you can eat a healthy balanced meal with your family all the time.

The Recipe for Wellness Success for Busy Families

Categories: Advice, Busy, Families