How to Agree to Disagree

2. Rise & Shine

The Fight: I like to get up early. My girlfriend likes to get up in the early afternoon. During the workweek, this isn't a big deal. But on the weekend, I sometimes get the sense that if I leave the bed before 9AM, I'll never be welcomed back into it.

The Fundamental Disagreement: This is about how we want to spend our time. I like to pack in as much as I can; my girlfriend believes in the importance of relaxing, and would rather do one big thing than five little ones.

How We Deal: I try to use the (very) early morning hours for chores and emailing. We've realized that how we feel about how we spend our time isn't only dependent on how we spend our time together. There are things I can do alone to feel like I'm doing a lot and things she can do alone that help her feel like she's not.