The Most Stressful Moments Of A Relationship

A new study suggests that the most stressful time of the week is 11:45 on Tuesday morning. The idea is that most people in the workforce coast through Mondays catching up on gossip with their co-workers, favorite websites, and online social networks. By Tuesday reality sets in and they spend the morning going through everything in their real and virtual in-boxes that they ignored on Monday. Apparently, 11:45 is the time this all comes to a head and people start going bonkers. 

The study got me thinking about how there’s a similar cycle of escape-from-and-return-to-reality in our romantic relationships. Exceptional first dates, passionate weekends away, the first “I love you’s,” sweet proposals and romantic honeymoons are all wonderful escapes from the pressures of maintaining a healthy relationship during the stress and monotony of everyday life, but you know they’re always followed by their own “11:45 on Tuesday” moments. After the jump, a timeline of the most stressful moments in a relationship that are guaranteed to kill a mood.

1. Awkward fumbling when the check comes after a great first date
2. Finding spinach on your front teeth after an awesome first kiss
3. A missed period after a few weeks of hot sex
4. Meeting the parents after becoming exclusive
5. Waiting for a response after the first “I love you”
6. Giving up half your closet space after moving in together
7. Planning a f**king wedding after a romantic proposal
8. Writing thank you cards after getting a million wedding gifts
9. Finally understanding the real meaning of the phrase “the honeymoon’s over”