8 ways low maintenance relationships are the best to keep

oge okonkwo

July 31, 2015 6:29 PM

To keep it (your relationship) running and in top shape, you need to check its parts constantly

Couple talking

Relationship isn't like going to get a plate or cup in the store, it's more like buying a generating set or a car.

This means your relationship has to be maintained so it won't suffer a breakdown or the worse case, pack up completely.

To keep it (your relationship) running and in top shape, you need to check its parts constantly, lubricate those parts that require constant attention which means a low maintenance checkup constantly.

What exactly is a low maintenance relationship (LMR) all about?

Steven Lake of The Good Men explains what it means to start a LMR and how to keep it:

The point here is that regular attention to the complex machine called "your relationship" helps avoid the build-up of unwanted dirt and grime which leads to break-downs. This may seem obvious, but you would be surprised how many couples get caught up in the daily grind of work, bills and kids. Thinking about the relationship plays second fiddle to the game of survival.

And yet, if we don't pay attention to our primary relationship, it will suffer. This I know both personally and through my practice as a psychotherapist.

Lest you get depressed, low maintenance relationships are possible. Ideally, you think about creating one before getting into a relationship. Way less work.

If you are in a relationship, changing over to a low-maintenance relationship (LMR) will take both partners defining what constitutes a LMR, and consciously working towards creating this state of bliss.

Here is the #1 way to have a Low Maintenance Relationship:

Find a Low-Maintenance Person (LMP)!

If you do this, 95% of your work is done for you. I have had high-maintenance partners and low-maintenance partners. Low is way less effort and much more fun.

You may be asking, what does a low-maintenance person look like? Here are eight qualities I have found in LMPs:

oge okonkwo