Long distance relationships are not for everyone. It’s hard work keeping them going. While you might think that with the internet and all the social media and apps available it’s pretty easy to keep in touch, it doesn’t really replace real face to face communication. Plus, the fact that you can’t just hug your partner or do something as simple as hold hands can really get to you, even if you’re not generally a very touchy feely person. So before you get into one it’s really important to figure out if it’s something that will work for you. If you’re wondering do long distance relationships work and can long distance relationships work, we’re here to tell you – yes! They just take more effort, but if it’s the right person, it’ll be worth it. Here are some tips for long distance relationships.
1. Communicate Clearly
If you’re asking yourself how to make long distance relationships work – the first and most important thing is to establish clear communication with your partner. It’s hard enough doing that when you live together, but when you’re doing long distance it’s the key to making it work. So make sure to communicate regularly and clearly, without leaving the other person in the dark and wondering.
2. Set Goals
Long distance relationships require a lot of planning. You can’t just be in one without a clear timeline. So you need to figure out what’s your long term goal. Who’s moving where eventually or maybe both of you are moving to a third country where you plan to live together in the future.
3. Be Creative
You’ve got to be creative with your communication when in a long distance relationship. Just texting all day every day isn’t really a good idea. You will end up getting bored in the best case scenario and annoyed in the worst case. Have video calls, regular calls, schedule date evenings where you dress up, cook and have dinner over Facetime. Watch movies together, go on walks while you talk, etc.
4. Surprise Gifts
Sending each other gifts for birthdays, holidays and special occasions is a no brainer, but surprise gifts for no reason can be a great way to show your partner you love them. If you see something while shopping online that you think they’ll love – just buy it for them.
5. Plan Visits
Plan to visit each other and buy tickets in advance so that you have stuff to look forward to. Don’t just leave it to “when I save enough money I’ll visit”. Buying a ticket will make you way more motivated to save money for the actual trip because you already have the timeline and the date to count down to.
6. Travel Together
If you can afford to travel on your vacations – it’s always a good idea to travel together. This way both of you will be exploring a new place together and discovering things at the same time. That’s a great way to bond because instead of telling each other about something you get to both experience it together.
7. Enjoy Alone Time
It’s tempting to just spend all the time calling and texting each other but it’s also important to put the phone away sometimes and just enjoy some alone time without feeling guilty. Same goes for hanging out with friends and family, they deserve some time with you, without you being glued to the phone 24/7.
8. Determine Ground Rules
It’s best to set boundaries and rules at the start. Determine what kind of a relationship this is. Are you going to be exclusive or is it okay to go on dates with other people? This comes hand in hand with being honest. There’s no point in saying you’re exclusive but having someone on the side because “they will never know”. That will only lead to heartbreak.