Barack Obama recently opened up about his marriage to Michelle Obama, sharing personal insights during a talk at Hamilton College in New York on April 4. The former president, now 63, admitted that he’s still trying to make up for lost time with his wife after the demands of his presidency strained their relationship.

“I was in a deep deficit with my wife,” Obama said, joking that he tries to make up for it by doing fun things together. The couple, married since 1992, spent eight years in the White House—years Michelle has acknowledged were tough on their marriage.

Michelle has also spoken openly about their challenges. On her podcast, she once joked about Barack’s laid-back attitude toward time, a trait she attributes to his Hawaiian upbringing. She explained how he would only start getting ready at the time they were supposed to leave, frustrating her more punctual style. “Dude, a 3 o’clock departure means you’ve already done all that,” she quipped.

Despite early struggles, Michelle said Barack has improved, and their daughters, Malia and Sasha, now know to show up early when meeting her.

Punctuality wasn’t just a personal issue—during his presidency, Obama was reported to have accumulated over 35 hours of delays at public events.

While he’s currently focused on completing the second volume of his presidential memoirs, Obama made it clear that repairing and nurturing his relationship with Michelle is just as important.