7 ways to say ‘I love you’ during your busy day

You're up to your neck with work right now, so you don't even have time to make it to your weekly book club meeting or Pilates class. You barely have one-on-one time with your significant other because the second you get home from your busy day, you have to feed and bathe your children, read your youngest a bedtime story and finally put the kids down for the night. After all of that, you're ready for bed yourself. And just like that, the day is over. While you and your mate know you love each other unconditionally, it is still important that the two of you communicate this to one another.

Even though you're buried beneath a stack of paperwork, there is always time to say "I love you" to your special someone.

Here are seven actions to get you started:

1. Write a love letter
With your personalized stationery, surprise your significant other with a one-of-a-kind note that expresses all the reasons why you love him or her. Take him or her on a trip down memory lane and slip a couple of photos inside the card as well. Slide it under the pillow, stick it in their lunch or surprise him or her and have it sent to their office. Perhaps it's been some time since you two exchanged love letters, so start back up with this tradition.

2. Cook a meal
You both have been so busy lately that you've just been ordering takeout from the local Chinese joint down the street. On those really late nights, you end up just having a pizza delivered. Set aside a specific time to cook your significant other's favorite meal. If this means waking up early to do some prep work, do it – the end result will be worth it. Try and get home from work before your loved one that day and have a delicious meal and a bottle of wine all set up on the table. He or she will be pleasantly surprised and appreciate this gesture more than you know.

3. Send a box of sweets
Who doesn't love a box of chocolates every now and then? There's always an excuse for a tasty treat- it doesn't even have to be cocoa goodness! Fancy macarons are growing in popularity, so pick up an assortment box on your way home from work. Or, put together your own combination box and include all your mate's favorite sweet treats.

4. Make a mixtape
Take it back to the high school days when you and your significant other would exchange mixtapes. This is perfect if your loved one has a long commute to work or is headed out for a business trip. Make a playlist and include songs that will remind them of your past together. If you're married, definitely include the song that you two love birds danced to at your wedding. Another route you could take is to only add songs about love.

5. Surprise your love with a weekend getaway
This is going to take some time to plan, especially if you have kids, but set a weekend aside for you and your significant other to get out of town. A quick trip is something the two of you have been wanting to do for quite some time. Nothing says "I love you" quite like a romantic weekend getaway with a complete itinerary. This is the perfect opportunity for the two of you to relax, forget about work and simply enjoy each other's company – something you don't get to do all that often. A trip is always more enjoyable when it's totally planned by someone else, so this will definitely be appreciated.

6. Read the same book
If you and your significant other love literature, make a list of a couple of books both of you haven't read and begin them together. This can be a new tradition that the two of you start right before bedtime – even if it's only for a half hour. By doing this, you're able to spend some quality time together and share thoughts about the book. Reading is a beautiful pastime and being able to share this hobby with someone is extra special.

7. Host a movie night
You two have hardly had any time together lately, meaning you two definitely haven't had time to see friends. Invite over all of your and your significant other's closest friends and host a movie night for everyone. It's always fun to get a big group of people together and get lost in someone else's fantasy. Don't forget the popcorn! No movie is complete without this tasty treat.