Here are ten things that, if a woman starts spending more time on, could be a sign that her marriage is in trouble.
The phone stays closer
She might put her phone face down more often. She might start taking it to the bathroom, even though she didn’t use to. Any time she gets a message, she answers it quickly. But never in a way where anyone can see the screen.
You might even notice her locking apps she never cared about before. That’s a red flag. She’s making her texts private for a reason. What could that reason be? It’s probably not a good one.
A certain table gets louder
The same names keep coming up. She’s going to see the same friends, who have the same opinions about the marriage. They’re not neutral opinions, either. That’s not good. She’s only going to hear negative things about her marriage, and it’ll get her thinking.
Is her marriage actually that good after all? It doesn’t matter what she might’ve thought before. Now, she’s questioning everything. All those negative comments keep repeating. They keep reinforcing that one viewpoint.
The old name comes back
A single message from an ex is one thing. But a thread that keeps going is another. Soon enough, those shared memories become a little too detailed. A woman who’s in constant contact with her ex probably isn’t thinking about her current partner the same way.
If she is, she’ll start comparing the two relationships. She might not be doing it deliberately. But it happens. She’s spending a lot of time looking back. That gives her less time to stay grounded in what’s happening right now. It doesn’t matter anymore.
The calendar fills up
Her calendar has started to fill up more than usual, and that’s not always a bad thing. She might have a class here. Then she has a gym session there. But then it hits a point where there’s no empty space left. Neither person has time to be around the other.
That’s a major issue. After all, you’ve got to have those small moments of connection. They keep you bonded. Unfortunately, some women always have somewhere else to be. Then it’s bye-bye to those moments.
The closet gets too neat
Take a look at the closet. It might be organized one day, and then separated the next. The clothes are grouped differently. The personal items are in boxes. She’s spent hours sorting it all out, nothing major. However, that changes how the space works.
It’s a kind of emotional and practical separation. Some couples go through that before they admit anything officially. She’s making things easier to manage later. It’s not exactly a good sign for a marriage.
The tabs stay open
Let’s get one thing straight. A girls’ trip doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It could just be a way for her to reconnect with her friends. But then you notice that she only ever seems to go on girls’ trips or vacations alone. You never do it together.
It’s pretty common in marriages that are falling apart. Solo vacations create a long stretch of emotional distance, long before you realize what’s up. For her, planning time away feels a lot easier. Planning time together is the hard part.
The house gets scrubbed late
She used to be the first one to sleep. But now, she’s bleaching the sink at midnight and scrubbing the stove soon after. It’s more than regular cleaning. That sort of late-night cleaning is a kind of avoidance. What’s she avoiding, exactly?
Most likely, the marriage and any potential arguments.
She doesn’t want to sit in silence. So, instead, she keeps moving. She’s cleaning to give her hands something to do. Her head’s not there right now.
The bathroom takes longer
You might not recognize it at first. The shower runs for an extra ten minutes. Then it becomes an extra twenty minutes. Eventually, it turns into long baths happening on random weekdays. It’s all because the bathroom’s the only place where nobody needs her.
Hot water and a locked door become the closest thing to peace. Not just from life, but from the marriage, too. It’s not exactly what strong relationships are built from.
The errand has a second purpose
Her errand list only has a few things on it. She needs to get milk and toothpaste, then check something at Target. Somehow, it becomes a ninety-minute trip. It’s not because she’s cheating. No, she’s trying to avoid being at home in any way that she can.
What she’s buying and doing doesn’t actually matter. Not being home is the goal. Sure, she might not actually admit that, but it’s hard to ignore the signs. She’s finding ways to make herself busy.
The mirror gets more time
It’s perfectly fine to want to take pride in how you look. However, it could also be a warning sign, especially when she starts taking longer to get ready. She’s not only redoing her hair and makeup.
She might be trying to reconnect with herself. She feels like she’s lost who she is, and she’s glamming herself up to remind herself. Who knows what the next steps are going to be?
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
