Yes, guys, dating fatigue is a real thing. Believe it or not, when you have that feeling of being burnt out while going on constant dates that don’t lead to success, you’ve officially fallen into a trap that’s difficult to come out of. Fear not, though, because there are some solutions after initially diagnosing yourself to have a problem.
Here’s the thing, though, dating fatigue doesn’t have to lead you to a feeling of depression because of failure. Sure, it sucks wasting your time going on so many dates and not finding that one person, but it’s important to stay optimistic about what else is out there. You just need to stop forcing things, take a step back and recharge the batteries a bit.
Of course, that’s easier said than done, because breaking any habits — especially when it comes to dating — can be tough sledding. You may find yourself wondering what to do some nights, thinking you’re supposed to be out with people to take advantage of your single life. That’s not entirely true, though.
It’s time to get real with yourself and admit that you’ve got dating fatigue when you feel like dating is more work than it’s supposed to be. Remember, dating should be fun, not a full- or part-time job. So here are some indicators to look for when it comes to dating fatigue, as well as some solutions to overcome such a feeling.
What is dating fatigue?
If you haven’t already figured it out by now, dating fatigue is that feeling you have when you just feel overwhelmed with the concept of dating. This means swiping nonstop on online dating apps, meeting as many people as possible while out at the bar, and, generally speaking, only thinking about trying to find a girlfriend.
Sure, dating can be fun when you’re single and just having a good time, but it can take a turn for the worst when you put too much emphasis on it, which leads to pressure about finding “the one” that leaves you confused and flakey.
Dating fatigue is your body and mind telling you that you need a break, so listen to both of those things, because it’ll help you in the long run.
Are there clear signs that I’m in dating fatigue?
As mentioned above, dating fatigue happens when your mind and/or body just can’t seem to keep up with the thought of going out on dates. That’s not a bad thing, as we all need a reminder every once in awhile to step back and focus on ourselves sometimes.
In terms of clear signs of dating fatigue, a few things you should look for are below:
- Being too selective
- Losing focus on one or more people after dates
- Finding yourself busy with dates every single night of the week
- Maintain conversations with numerous people at once
Some of those things are part of the deal when being single and ready to mingle, with you just playing the field, so to speak. But when you find that most of your time is spent swiping or messaging or texting or spending time and money on dates, it’s probably time to step back a bit, because you’re clearly not having success finding someone special.
What steps can I do to overcome dating fatigue?
This is where it’ll be up to you to start making some changes and focus on you. Dating fatigue can be difficult to overcome if you’re really deep into it, so it’s important to do things that you enjoy and rediscover yourself prior to getting back out in the dating pool.
There’s a major difference between casually looking for a partner and actively looking for one, so, when trying to overcome dating fatigue, you should still be open to meeting new people, but it shouldn’t be your main objective. This means removing online dating apps from your phone and not giving into temptation to message people all the time.
In order to overcome dating fatigue, you need to occupy your time in other ways. This should be a time when you eliminate any stress or anxiety that comes with dating and regroup, coming back to center a bit. Once you feel refreshed, go ahead and ease back into dating, which typically should be after a month to six weeks.
Remind yourself that, like a cold, dating fatigue won’t last forever
Whether you heed our advice and take a break from trying to date, or you keep with your ways and try to push through all the meaningless dates in hopes of finding the one, you need to remind yourself that dating fatigue won’t last forever. It can seem that way when you go from actively dating all the time to being isolated on certain nights or spending time with friends, but we promised it’ll be OK.
Remember, if you’re looking for a relationship in the long run, you need to at least keep an open mind wherever you go in order to meet someone. That doesn’t mean you need to constantly be looking all the time, but it does mean you should slow things down and avoid forcing it.
While you might think that going on date after date feels like the best strategy to find that person, remind yourself that it hasn’t worked for you before and, more importantly, all it takes is one person to change your mind. That’s right, guys, just when you’re over dating and done trying, the right one may just creep into your life at the strangest time, so stop putting so much pressure on yourself.