Tips for Making a Long Distance Relationship Work

Long-distance relationships are not easy, but if it is with the right person, it is worth the time apart to be together in the end. Now I am no expert but I have had my fair share of time in a long-distance relationship or two. There have been a few tips and tricks that I’ve found to make long-distance relationships as painless as possible. 

Making plans to have “dates” together is a great way to stay connected and keep things interesting when you are apart. You could eat/cook dinner together over facetime, watch a show on Netflix or play a game. This is a great way to spend some time together without actually being together.

Focus on taking time for yourself to do things for yourself! Sometimes when being in a relationship you can get so lost in the other person that you take time away from doing the things that made you happy by yourself. This is the time to enjoy being around your friends and family and spend some much-needed time alone. Maybe this means you pick up a new hobby or get back into an activity you used to do before you spent much of your time with your partner.

Try to communicate regularly. This may be hard for long-distance couples who have opposite schedules or live in different time zones, but it is important to keep the communication going to stay connected in each other’s lives. Even if you can only call for fifteen minutes at the end of the day, it is nice to take advantage of that time, check-in with one another to keep both of you feeling involved in the other’s life. 

Make plans to visit each other. Again, this may be different depending on where you live and how far apart, but even if you have to plan a visit six months out it is still something to look forward to. Traveling to see your significant other even for just a few days can make a difference, and something I recommend if possible. 

Have trust with one another. Long-distance relationships will become challenging if you don’t have trust in your partner. You both must establish some ground rules, and know that if either one of you meets someone else you need to communicate that immediately. If you both go into it knowing you are truly committed to the relationship then you must remind yourself of that and have trust with the person you are with. 

These are just a few tips that you can incorporate into your long-distance relationship to keep it lasting. Remember that there is an end goal and a reason you are going through this period of long distance. Remind yourself that this is not forever and if it is with the right person it will all be worth it in the end!