When Your Man Needs Space

Greg spent years remodeling our old house – which meant, hundreds of nights of me taking care of our children by myself while he and his dad worked until midnight many nights per week after their full-time jobs.

God taught me to be thankful and content during those times rather than resentful and bitter. God also taught me to appreciate that they were doing all of this because they love me and our children dearly.

That was quite a sacrifice for both of them – I could bless them by appreciating their hard work and bringing them soft drinks and snacks and by telling them how thankful I was for all that they did for us.

Some Husbands Need More Space Than Others

Not all husbands need a lot of space. Some husbands want their wives to be right beside them all the time, involved in everything together. Others need some time to themselves to recharge or to work on things.

There are many different personality types. Here are two broad categories of personality types (that apply to men and women).

  • Extroverts are people who tend to get energy from being around others, being alone may eventually be draining for them.
  • Introverts are people who tend to be energized by being alone, being with people may eventually be draining to them.

In marriage, often one spouse will be more extroverted and one will be more introverted. So it can be a bit tricky for both people to feel that they are each getting the time they need to be alone and enough time together to connect.

  • Sometimes the more extroverted spouse may feel that the more introverted spouse is being unloving when the introvert wants to spend some time apart.
  • Sometimes the more introverted spouse feels smothered when the more extroverted spouse wants more together time.

What I would like for us to see is that a person with a more introverted personality isn’t being unloving when he/she wants to be alone for awhile, this is a need this person has. If my husband is more introverted than I am, my giving him space can be a blessing and a gift.

Also, if a husband has felt very controlled, disrespected, or smothered by his wife, he may need even more time alone than usual to recharge and to feel like he can make his own decisions.

And a more extroverted spouse is not trying to be annoying, he/she just loves to be with his/her spouse and feels more energized when they are together a lot. And sometimes extroverted spouses also need and want to have time with friends, as well.

When Your Man Needs Space

My husband, Greg, is rather introverted. I used to be offended when he wanted time to himself. I couldn’t wrap my mind around the concept that space could be a gift to anyone.

I felt like he wanted me to hate him when he wanted space. I knew that if he gave me space, I would feel very unloved, so how could he want space and love me?

Thankfully, I understand now that Greg’s personality is just different from mine. He is not unloving. He just has different needs than I do.

Sometimes he is using that time to himself to do things to bless me and our children (house renovations). Sometimes he is using that time to himself to recharge.

I have learned to use the time when I give him space to draw closer to God. Now I LOVE having time to myself, too.

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through Him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11b-13

Let’s apply these verses to ways we can be content in Christ whether we have lots of time, attention, affection, and love from our husbands or whether we feel we are lacking in time, attention, affection, and love from our husbands.

Ways I Could Smother and Repel My Husband:

My husband wants to watch a game, work on a hobby, or work on a project that is important to him.

  • I could get angry and upset with him, demanding that he spend time with me.
  • I could sit beside him and cry about that he is watching a game rather than enjoying my amazing company.
  • I could accuse him of not loving me because he wants to spend some time by himself, not emotionally connecting with me.
  • I could yell at him because he is “such a horrible husband” because his desires are different from mine sometimes.
  • I could resent him and become very bitter that he isn’t spending every possible moment with me.
  • I could destroy any time we actually do have together.

Would these methods draw my husband to me or repel him?

HOW DO YOU GIVE A HUSBAND MORE SPACE?

(Note: I am not talking about situations in this post where there is infidelity going on, addictions to drugs/alcohol, abuse, uncontrolled mental health issues, criminal activity, actual abuse, or severe issues. If you are dealing with one of these situations, please seek appropriate help ASAP!)

** Keep in mind, some wives have husbands who want more time with them – these wives will have to focus more on learning to give more of themselves to their husbands and getting by with less time alone. Marriage stretches us and causes us to become more holy as we allow God to work in our hearts. And some wives have extroverted husbands who need space and time to go out with their guy friends, that is a possibility, as well.

Giving space can involve giving physical space, giving time, being quiet, and being emotionally/spiritually tranquil and peaceful myself.

Here is something interesting Greg told me a few years ago, “I always feel connected to you, unless you tell me you don’t feel connected to me.” That has been so helpful to me, and allowed me to rest in Greg’s love for me, realizing that he felt our connection all the time, even when we weren’t together. Hmmm…

I can give my husband healthy space in several ways

  • I don’t assume Greg has evil motives or that he doesn’t love me, but simply rest in his love.
  • I understand that he loves sports and that he needs some time to himself.
  • I can focus on a list of things that I admire, respect and appreciate about Greg.
  • I can go somewhere and do something I enjoy – a walk, taking the kids to the zoo, etc…
  • I can be in another room enjoying something for myself – time with God, time with my children, writing, journaling, emailing/blogging, time doing something I like to do.
  • I can be beside him, but mostly quiet during the game, maybe I will talk in a pleasant, friendly way during commercials.
  • I can cuddle with him and make occasional comments about the game, depending on how important the game is to him, making sure that I don’t comment during the plays.
  • I can cuddle with him and close my eyes and rest or read.
  • I don’t have to emotionally cling to my husband, the only one I cling to is Christ – I hope that makes sense.
  • I can say something encouraging to him like, “This room is going to look amazing when you are done working on it!”
  • I can smile at him, give him a big hug and a kiss, and say, “Okay! Have fun!” Then I can allow him to have time to himself.
  • I don’t have to know exactly when he will be back, unless there is something we have scheduled later. And even if we have something scheduled, I can simply mention that to him in a pleasant tone of voice, and trust that he can figure out how to be back in time for that event.
  • I don’t ask Greg to tell me how long something will take. When men are working on a project, it almost always takes longer than they expect – in my experience, at least. So, I just don’t worry about how long it will be.
  • I don’t constantly text or interrupt him.
  • I can be available if he says he needs my help.
  • I might do something fun with the kids or focus on helping them with homework and getting ready for bed, work on some chores, and then I might have time to myself to pray, read, study, or minister to women online.
  • I welcome him back with a big smile and a hug (unless he is filthy, then I wait to hug him after his shower!)
  • I listen to anything he wants to share about what he worked on.
  • I enjoy whatever time we do have together.

Would these methods draw my husband to me or repel him?

How can I be content when I am giving space?

When I am close to Christ, and His Spirit fills me – He gives me His supernatural love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, as well as His contentment no matter what my circumstances might be. (Galatians 5:22-23, Philippians 4:12-13)

If I am filled up with Jesus and finding my greatest contentment, security, identity, and purpose in Him, I don’t have to be codependent with my husband.

NOTE:

If a husband has been feeling very, very smothered and disrespected for a long time, he may need more physical distance for awhile – weeks or months. If a husband resists cuddling, that is okay.

If he is alright with you being in the same room, show him that you can be peaceful, friendly, and pleasant in the same room and enjoy being in the same room without smothering him. If he is very tense about you being in the same room, it may be good to give him more space for awhile.

A HUSBAND’S PERSPECTIVE:

Some husbands have shared with me that if spending time with their wives has been painful in recent (or even not so recent) history, if they feel really disrespected or if their wives get upset a lot, seem disappointed often, and things don’t seem to go well – it can be really difficult for a man to get excited about spending time with his wife.

Ladies, let’s make sure that we are pleasant to be around by showing genuine respect and honor to our husbands, by not demanding things, and by being thankful for what they do give to us.