Long-distance dating isn’t something people typically enjoy doing — after all, part of being in a relationship is spending time with your significant other — but, some people know how to make it work. But, don’t be fooled, because it takes effort to find balance and still maintain good communication when not with your girlfriend.
For anyone who has been in a relationship, time away from a girlfriend can be difficult — even for a week or so. When it’s nearly all the time, that’s when things can get tricky and tough to find a balance between living your own lives and still keeping things strong.
Whether you’re long-distance dating now, have in the past or may find yourself in a relationship like this in the future, we’re giving you some advice on how to make long-distance dating work. Take notes and don’t be afraid to try it out if you find the right girl!
Expectations
Now that you and your girlfriend are taking the dive and trying to stay together with a distance between you both, it’s important to set expectations. We’re not talking about anything overly stressful that will strain the relationship, but understanding that you’re not going to talk just to talk is important. What days and times are you going to chat face-to-face? Should a delayed reply to a text cause concern? Long-distance dating takes a lot of confidence, so setting expectations will help erase any doubts about commitment.
Video, video, video
It’s 2018, guys, if you’re not already using video to talk to friends and family via FaceTime and such, you’re doing something wrong. Just as you stay in touch with those people by using video, so too, should your girlfriend and you. One of the best things about being in a relationship is that emotional connection. Since the two of you can’t be physical with one another, simply hearing the other person’s voice and, more so, seeing their eyes and watching them smile is important.
Work-life-dating balance
Much like setting expectations, finding the proper balance in both of your lives is the only way to make long-distance dating work. Trust us, the last thing you want to have happen is find out your girlfriend is needy or self-dependent and needs your attention all the time. We’re not meant to give our attention to just one thing, so it’s critical to separate and compartmentalize different activities in both of your lives in order to make this work.
Honesty and loyalty
Feeling down? Call your girlfriend and tell her about it. Missing her and just want to let her know? She definitely feels the same, so don’t be shy in texting her. Afraid you might be losing interest and need to rejuvenate the relationship? You’ve got to tell her and see if you can get that spark back. In order for long-distance dating to work, both partners need to exhibit an extreme level of maturity and be unafraid to be honest with each other. In addition to that honesty comes loyalty, so don’t just internalize things and not speak up, otherwise the relationship will go south in a hurry.