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Subject: 💞 How to Stay Connected When You’re Both Running on Empty

Stuck in the Middle — Issue 230 — Monday, Nov 10, 2025

👋 Welcome

Hey there — if you’re new to Stuck in the Middle, this is your space for real talk about balancing kids, aging parents, work, and relationships without losing your mind.
Reply SUBSCRIBE to get new issues twice a week (free).

🧠 Big Thought: Connection Starts in the Small Moments

You don’t need a weekend getaway or “date night” to feel close again.
Connection happens in micro-moments — like a 15-second hug in the kitchen, a shared joke after dinner, or taking a walk around the block together.

When life is chaotic, consistency beats intensity.
Five minutes of real presence every day keeps your emotional battery charged far longer than a fancy night out you’re too tired to enjoy.

🧰 Money Moves — Shared Stability = Shared Sanity

1️⃣ Run a 15-minute “money talk” once a week.
Use this checklist to stay calm, not combative.
https://www.ramseysolutions.com/relationships/money-conversations-checklist

2️⃣ Create a shared family calendar.
It reduces fights over who’s doing what.
Free Google setup guide:
https://support.google.com/calendar/answer/37095

3️⃣ Automate the boring bills.
Less mental load, fewer late fees.
Simple setup:
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/set-it-and-forget-it-automatic-bill-pay/

4️⃣ Trade tasks for time.
Hire out one draining chore together — groceries, lawn, or laundry — and use that time to rest or talk.
Task-finding guide:
https://www.consumerreports.org/money/task-apps-for-hiring-household-help-review/

5️⃣ Plan the “off-duty” hour.
Choose one hour weekly that’s sacred — phones off, both adults present.

🛠️ Tool of the Week

Paired App — A free couples’ app that sends daily prompts and short quizzes to spark meaningful, fun conversation (even if you’re apart).
https://www.paired.com/

📰 Reads (free + verified)

• The Tiny Habits of Lasting Relationships – Greater Good Science Center
  https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/tiny_habits_that_keep_relationships_strong

• When Stress Hurts Your Marriage (and how to repair it) – Verywell Mind
  https://www.verywellmind.com/how-stress-affects-your-marriage-2302562

• 10-Minute Connection Rituals – The Gottman Institute
  https://www.gottman.com/blog/10-minute-connection-rituals/

🤝 SKOOL COMMUNITY

Join other “stuck in the middle” readers sharing relationship wins, check-ins, and practical routines that work.
https://www.skool.com/stuck-in-the-middle-community-1730/about?ref=4956bcfb588b4962b89c23002360ff83

💬 Connect With People Who Get It

Caregiving can feel isolating — and so can relationship stress.
Join our private Facebook group to talk to others who truly understand.

👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/stuckinthemiddlenews

💸 TOOLS YOU CAN USE

Feeling stretched too thin? Grab the $9.99 “What Can I Let Go Of?” Checklist — the simple system to drop 30–60 minutes of clutter from your week and free up time for the people who matter most.
https://briansacks.samcart.com/products/sandwich

💬 Reply & Engage

What’s one tiny way you and your partner can reconnect this week — even if it’s just 5 minutes?

↗️ Share the Relief

Know another couple barely keeping up with life? Forward this issue to them — it might be the reset they need.

P.S.

Next issue (Thursday, Nov 13) we’ll rotate to Parents & Caregiving Logistics — practical ways to simplify elder care during the holidays.