The One Bad Habit That Could Be Ruining Your Relationship (That You’re Definitely Guilty Of)

You’re getting ready to leave the house when you notice that, yet again, your partner has completely forgotten to take out the trash. Typical. So, as you’re heading out the door, you quickly send him a photo of yourself dropping the trash in the bin as a gentle (OK, slightly passive-aggressive) reminder.

He texts you back immediately and asks you whose turn it was to unload the dishwasher this morning? (Fine, it was yours, and you forgot). Before you know it, you’re in an all-out texting war, and it’s about to get ugly.

Look, it happens to all of us, but next time you feel your fingers furiously reaching for your phone, here’s something to keep in mind: A study from Brigham Young University found that women in relationships who try to work out their differences or apologize via text message tended to report higher levels of unhappiness.

Instead, try to talk through the negative stuff face-to-face. It leaves less room for miscommunication and allows you to better gauge your partner’s reaction to what you’re saying. (The angry face emoji can only reveal so much, after all.)

But there’s no need to leave your phone on silent. Researchers also found that expressing affection via text actually enhances the relationship. Even more interesting? Sending a loving message was more strongly related to relationship satisfaction than receiving one.

Permission granted to send your S.O. a stream of heart emojis this afternoon.

RELATED: The 5:1 Ratio and 7 Other Scientifically Proven Ways to Have a Better Relationship