Understanding which female behaviours may cause your man to get stressed out can help keep your relationship conflict-free. We asked psychotherapist Kimberly Moffit about the top five ways female behaviour can stress men out, and solutions for how to adjust them.
1. Sweating the small stuff
We all feel anxious from time to time, but constantly worrying about day-to-day things – like Did I lock the front door? What should I make for the potluck next month? Did I remember to pay that bill? – can negatively affect your relationship, especially if your partner is more relaxed than you are.
Most women are natural planners, and therefore worry more about the future. Men tend to live in the moment. "Men are more psychologically wired to need immediate solutions to problems. So men feel stressed when women complain or worry for the sake of it, instead of taking action to resolve a problem," says Moffit.
Try to communicate what's bothering you to your partner, and more importantly, why it's bothering you. By giving him a problem to solve in the present, you can achieve a level of contentment with the situation.
2. Constant nagging
Both women and men can nag and find fault, but women are hardwired to notice the smaller details, whether good or bad.
"Men, just like women, need to feel important, needed and competent in a relationship. Nagging about little things he does could make him feel inadequate," says Moffit.
Instead of nagging, create a positive environment for you and your partner to talk about things that need to be changed in your relationship. Make sure that both sides are heard and that you're equals in the conversation, and in the relationship.
Page 1 of 2 -- Discover how seemingly little things like teasing him about his looks or giving him the silent treat adds stress to your relationship on page 2
