--- title: The #1 Way to Easily Improve All Your Relationships description: Just try. Put a small amount of conscious effort into trying to be a better friend, spouse, whatever. That’s it. Sounds ridiculous but research shows:... canonical: https://time.com/3606228/improve-relationships/ author: Eric Barker article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-11-26T05:01:28.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-03-31T08:03:03.095Z article:section: Ideas og:title: The #1 Way to Easily Improve All Your Relationships og:description: Just try. Put a small amount of conscious effort into trying to be a better friend, spouse, whatever. That’s it. Sounds ridiculous but research shows:... og:url: https://time.com/3606228/improve-relationships/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7a48dbfc95da112a/69876b1655a859f862a84583/paper-dolls.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4916 og:image:height: 2765 og:image:alt: Paper dolls og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The #1 Way to Easily Improve All Your Relationships twitter:description: Just try. Put a small amount of conscious effort into trying to be a better friend, spouse, whatever. That’s it. Sounds ridiculous but research shows:... twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7a48dbfc95da112a/69876b1655a859f862a84583/paper-dolls.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The #1 Way to Easily Improve All Your Relationships > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Nov 26, 2014 5:01 AM UTC  Paper dolls Paper dolls Getty Images by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Nov 26, 2014 5:01 AM UTC Just try. Put a small amount of conscious effort into trying to be a better friend, spouse, whatever. That’s it. Sounds ridiculous but research shows: * Improving any relationship is as easy as [actively showing interest in the other person](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-to-easily-be-more-likable-and-make-people) or [sharing with them.](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-to-improve-your-relationship-in-5-seconds) * Pretending time with a romantic partner was a first date makes it [more enjoyable for you](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/another-way-to-easily-improve-your-relationsh) and [for your partner](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/whats-a-quick-way-to-improve-our-relationship). Why? On first dates we make an effort to impress. * Racists actually make a better first impression on minorities than non-racists do. Why? Because they have to try to not act racist and [the effort makes them come off better than someone who doesn’t have to try](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/do-racists-make-a-better-first-impressions-th). * Worried that all this is fake and contrived? Relax. Putting your best face forward [actually reveals your true self](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-putting-your-best-self-forward-reveal-yo). **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/whats-an-absurdly-easy-way-to-improve-all-you/)**_._** **Join over 135,000 readers. Get a free weekly update via email** [**here**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD)**.** Related posts: [How To Make Your Life Better By Sending Five Simple Emails](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/07/make-your-life-better/) [How To Stop Being Lazy And Get More Done – 5 Expert Tips](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/08/how-to-stop-being-lazy/) [New Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More Successful](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/09/be-more-successful/) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3606228/improve-relationships/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3606228/improve-relationships/"},"headline":"The #1 Way to Easily Improve All Your Relationships","datePublished":"2014-11-26T05:01:28.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T08:03:03.095Z","description":"Just try. Put a small amount of conscious effort into trying to be a better friend, spouse, whatever. That’s it. 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