Our weekly marriage check-in is the best habit we've adopted as a couple. Here's what we ask every week.

After having a baby last summer, my husband and I realized something: by the time the house was quiet and our baby was asleep, neither of us had much energy left to talk about anything. We weren't fighting often, but little frustrations had a way of lingering because there never seemed to be a "right" time to bring them up. So, we decided to try a new weekly check-in ritual.

We treat it like a physical for our relationship: It's a chance to celebrate what's working, catch small issues before they snowball, and make sure neither of us is quietly carrying resentment.

So far, it's been the single most helpful habit we've adopted as a couple.

Having a structured format works well for us. Instead of wasting time — "What do you want to talk about?" "I don't know, what do you want to talk about?" — we just run down our list, each taking turns to talk or listen. While it took some trial-and-error to find the questions that are most beneficial, here's the set we landed on:

What's your biggest stressor looking ahead to next week? And what's one thing I can do to support you?

Is there anything we should talk about now before it becomes a bigger issue?

During a busy, stressful week, it can be easy to overlook the little things we both do to care for each other. But my husband and I made a vow never to take each other for granted.

The first question — "What made you feel loved this week?" — offers a natural opportunity for us to express some gratitude. I might let my husband know how much it meant to me that he got up with the baby in the middle of the night. He might thank me for making his morning easier by filling up his water bottle and watching our son while he worked out.

I find that naming my stressors out loud can help prevent me from spiraling inside my own head. Plus, when my husband and I share them with each other, we're able to proactively problem-solve together. Better yet, we both have the chance to explain exactly how we'd like to receive support from each other — rather than leaving each other to guess.

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So, if I tell him I'm nervous about an interview coming up this week, he could offer some confidence-boosting affirmation, and then I could ask him to rehearse my questions with me the night before so I feel prepared.