7 Questions Strong Couples Ask Instead of 'How Was Work?'
Ditching the default daily question can transform your relationship. A therapist-author shares smarter conversation starters.
If you're still asking your partner 'How was work today?' every evening, you might be coasting on autopilot — and it's quietly killing your connection. According to Amy Morin, author of *13 Things Mentally Strong Couples Don't Do*, that go-to question traps couples in a communication rut that feels comfortable but goes nowhere fast.
Think about it: you already know the answer before they open their mouth. 'Fine.' 'Busy.' 'Same as always.' That's not a conversation — that's a checkbox. Mentally strong couples treat daily check-ins like an actual investment, not small talk filler. The questions they ask dig into emotions, growth, and shared meaning rather than just logging the day's events.
Read more Your 401(k) After a Layoff: What Your Ex-Boss Can Keep →
Morin's framework pushes couples to get specific and get curious. Instead of a surface-level work recap, try asking something that invites your partner to reflect on how they *felt*, what they *learned*, or what they're *looking forward to*. That shift sounds small, but it rewires how two people relate to each other over time — compounding like a good trade.
The tradeable insight here is this: communication quality is a leading indicator of relationship health, not a lagging one. Couples who upgrade their daily dialogue before things go sideways are playing offense. Waiting until there's a problem to start asking better questions is like buying the dip after the crash is already priced in — too late, too reactive.
If you want the full list of seven questions Morin recommends, including the exact language that opens partners up rather than shutting them down, continue reading at US Top News and Analysis.
