Unless you are a student or taking correspondence courses, or unless it was already an important habit, many newly married people seldom study or do diligent research. Is private study an essential component of a marriage life? How much time should be spent on such an activity? What kinds of things should be studied?
I think each marriage ought to encourage and facilitate private study time, where each individual can pursue topics of their interest for personal enrichment. Learning does not end when you get married: in fact, it ought to increase as you understand your spouse better, and as you grow individually. I, for example, love to learn. If I have not learned anything new recently about my wife, my job, my community, politics, or even nature, life feels quite stagnant and hopeless. Beyond that, everyone finds themselves from time-to-time in unfamiliar situations; it is worth doing some research on the subject to make better decisions.
It need not be long hours of study: 2-3 hours each morning before breakfast serves me well. My wife likes reading before bed for an hour or so. Whatever works, remain consistent. Feel free to explore a wide variety of topics, including those you wouldn't naturally be inclined to read up on. By knowing what your spouse is studying or reading, you will understand their interests and perspective better and see ways to support them if something triggers some action or project.
Lately, my study time has been consumed with technology/computing study or programming (usually a book on some skill I'd like to get better at), religious and Bible study (such as apologetics or books by Christian authors), or general research on everything from politics to nature, and travel destinations to health and food. Whenever we make big plans, we always do some research to inform our decision. It helps a lot to be in the know about things that matter.
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