Most couples don’t think much about how they spend their weekends. Relationship therapist Amy Morin argues that they really should. Those two days are actually a critical period for connection and trust.

Morin hosts the Mentally Stronger podcast, and she laid out five weekend habits in a recent CNBC column, arguing that weekends offer couples breathing room they don’t get during the workweek. “It’s a prime opportunity to engage in activities that build deeper bonds,” she wrote. The list is practical, occasionally counterintuitive, and refreshingly unromantic.

Here’s what she says actually helps.

1. Spend time apart on purpose

Morin starts with something some couples hate doing. Time away from each other. She argues that independence builds trust rather than threatening it. “When you pursue your own interests, you’re showing mutual trust,” she explained to CNBC. One partner might grab coffee with a friend while the other goes for a run. The point isn’t distance. It’s demonstrating that togetherness doesn’t require being attached at the hip.

2. Keep one shared ritual

Morin emphasizes consistency over grandeur. A weekly walk, a standing Sunday breakfast, even folding laundry together counts. “Each time you show up, you remind each other: ‘We can count on this. We can count on each other,’” she wrote. Repetition does a lot of unnoticed work in relationships.

3. Schedule real quality time

This isn’t just “being there” in the same room. Morin distinguishes between habits and attention. A phone-free meal or tackling a project together creates space where both people stay engaged. “What matters is prioritizing and giving each other your undivided attention,” she said.

4. Talk about what actually happened this week

Weekends create room for reflection. Morin encourages couples to share highs, lows, frustrations, and small wins without rushing the conversation. “Vulnerability is risky, but with a trusting partner, it can help you grow stronger as individuals and as a couple,” she noted.

5. Say thank you out loud

Morin ends with appreciation, and not the grand-gesture kind. “Appreciation fuels goodwill and reminds both partners that their efforts are seen,” she explained. In her practice, she’s seen couples change their entire dynamic by acknowledging everyday contributions. Feeling valued does wonders for relationships.

None of this is flashy. That’s the point. Thriving relationships usually look ordinary on the outside and intentional up close.