Whether you and your significant other have always been in a long-distance relationship or you’re just about to enter one, it’s not an easy thing to do. It takes time and patience for your, any LDR to begin to feel “normal,” and that’s OK! We have a few tips and tricks to make your long-distance relationship run smoothly.
Set Ground Rules
One of the most essential things to do in any relationship, romantic or not, is to set ground rules with one another. By making your expectations clear to each other at the beginning of the relationship, there will be less room for potential error and disappointment. When establishing ground rules, you need to consider all aspects of your relationship, are the two of you exclusive? Are there certain times you do not wish to/will not be able to communicate? Are your schedules compatible, and will either one of you need to rearrange theirs? Most importantly, are your end-goals ultimately the same? If you don’t share similar life goals, that will make maintaining your long-distance relationship even more difficult.
Make Shared Plans for When You’re Apart
Being so far away from your significant other can make it easy to fall into the day-to-day minutiae of your personal routine, and that can cause strain in your relationship. Making plans for each of you to do the same activities while apart will not only provide you with another conversation point the next time you speak, but it will also provide you with a bonding experience.
It can be something as simple as binge-watching the same TV show while you’re on the phone with each other or something more long term, like reading the same book. While both of you have your own life-work experiences, have a common activity to look forward to can create exciting and interesting conversation, and maybe even give you a little insight into your partner’s mind.
Visit One Another
This one might seem a little more evident than the others, but it’s not quite that simple. Of course, taking the time to spend time together, in-person, is possibly the most important way to maintain your long-distance relationship. Still, it is also important to make sure it’s not just one of you doing all the traveling. It can be easy to agree when your partner suggests, “I’ll just drive over after work.” But, after so long, they might grow a bit resentful toward their long trip, too tired to enjoy their time with you. Try to divide the travel time as evenly as possible, and even if you can’t swing a full weekend trip, try to find the halfway point where you can meet for a nice date night.
In the event you are traveling to meet your partner for the first time in person, stay safe and do your research. Online lookup sites give you the chance to search people by name, to be sure you are actually meeting the person you’ve spent months getting to know.
Keep It Simple
When you do finally get to spend that well-deserved time together, don’t over-complicate things. You don’t need to micromanage and plan every minute spent with one another, keep it free-flowing, exciting, and comfortable. Don’t forget why you decided to give a long-distance relationship a shot in the first place. But, before you make the journey to visit your partner, don’t forget to stock up on some of the essentials for a sexy night in. Thanks to the internet, you can even do this from the comfort of your own home. Online retailers offer everything from plus size lingerie to adult films.
Just remember, relax, have fun, and just enjoy the time with your partner.