Doing something nice for a stressed out DP

[JustOneApple]

Hello.

I want to do something nice for my DP.

He runs his own business and is very stressed out at the moment (high maintenance client has him working all the hours God sends).

I feel a bit useless in the sense that I want to help him but I know nothing about his trade so can't ease the workload for him.

Any ideas on just something nice that I could do for him that doesn't cost a lot of money?

I just want to put a smile on that face I love :)

Ask him what he'd like?

I make a point of saying I know you are stressed / down, let me give you a back rub / make your favourite supper etc. At least that way they know you are thinking of them and are trying to do a nice thing even if it’s just a small gesture.

I write Little notes and hide them places too. He was very touched by that.

I was hoping to surprise him with something

Sorry cross post Percy.

I like the note idea :) I've got his favourite takeaway on the way for when he's home tonight. Might leave him a note for when he goes and brushes his teeth afterwards 😁

Also have a hard working stressed husband and I often stock up on healthy snacks for him like mixed nuts & healthy bars. Buy him things like the cappuccino sachets and bottles and of cider / craft beers.
A nice shower gel etc

My DH likes time off. So if he's really stressed I encourage him to go and do his own thing, either on his own or with a friend. It's not that he doesn't get to do it anyway but i make a point of saying "you're working really hard for this family and this lifestyle, make sure you get something back for you". That way he knows I see what he's doing and appreciate it, and it gives him a bit of stress relief.

If I feel like being nice to DH I go all out on the pampering, he'll come in to nice cold pack of beers and fizzy waters (his fave!), he'll have a nice hot shower and I put out a really fluffy towel for him and a pair of soft loungers ( with pants and left on the radiator when it's cold), bed changed to get into a fresh bed, crisps/ nuts/ chocolate/ biscuits/ whatever he really likes waiting for him and I get the moisturising foot socks from the pound shop and stick them on him with his feet up for an hour or so then take them off and rub a bit more cream into them before popping socks on to keep it all in. Best dinner and a nice pudding. It shows him I'm thinking of him. But then I'm the same with my kids too. He knows he's in my good books if he comes home to a giant furry throw on top of the mattress and the softest bedding with brushed cotton pillowcases

Hello OP - my chap is massively stressed out for work reasons at the moment too (tbf, he's usually enormously stressed out for work reasons). I work in a similar field, so can help him with some stuff, but mostly I just do stupid shit that lets him know I'm thinking of him.

Silly things like buying him a bag of his favourite crisps, or a mug that has a private joke on it. A children's book that's about our shared interests. For about three years, I used to text him increasingly crap jokes every day. Getting very personal stuff made for him that only makes sense between the two of us. If I have to go somewhere for work, I bring him back something from that place, even if it's just a postcard or a cafe loyalty card with one stamp on it. Just something that lets him know I'm always thinking of him. I prefer to do the more peronalised stuff (it's not always expensive), but anything that makes him do that softeyed smile, shake his head at me and tell me I'm a daft little bugger is something that stops him feeling so under pressure.

Mostly though, I back off when he's stressed, and just leave little things for him to find. If he wants to talk, he will. In the meantime, he knows I'm on his side.