Making A Relationship Work With Opposite Schedules - Page 12
Though it’s nice to be able to date someone whose work schedule meshes with yours almost perfectly, not every couple has that luxury. While this may make things a little bit more difficult, having opposite schedules doesn’t mean a relationship can’t work. Here are some tips for having a successful relationship despite having opposite schedules.
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Make sure you’re okay with the situation
Before getting into a serious relationship with someone who has an opposite schedule, be sure that you’re okay with the situation. Some people just don’t want to deal with the extra effort that comes with dealing with conflicting schedules. Know the drawbacks of this type of situation but also the potential benefits of it before making your decision.
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Plan to spend time together on days off
With opposite schedules, it’s unlikely that you two will be able to hang out on a whim. With that said, it’s important that you are able to plan dates in advance. If you know your partner’s schedule, plan to spend time together on the days that he has off. No matter if it’s one day together or a weekend, planning ahead makes life, and the relationship, a lot easier.
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Keep in touch
Having opposing schedules means that you two will not be able to talk face-to-face as much. This means that you two will need to communicate and keep in touch through other methods, such as texts, emails, and phone calls. Of course, be mindful of your partner’s work schedule, and the fact that he’s working, when communicating.
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Stay busy
When you are apart from your man, be sure that you are able to keep yourself busy, both physically and mentally. Spend an extra hour at work. Hang out with friends. Take up a new hobby or interest. Otherwise, you’ll end up sitting at home by yourself, missing your partner, which will inevitably make you sad.
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Fill your alone time with hobbies and interests
Aside from just keeping busy, be sure that your alone time is filled with plenty of exciting and fun activities. Try out a new yoga class. Test out your painting skills. The more interesting and new things that you do, the less likely you are to think about how much you miss your man. At the same time, this opens doors for all sorts of new conversation topics when you do spend time together.
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Be understanding
Having opposite schedules is never easy, and it requires a lot of understanding on everyone’s part. Know that your partner may need to work over time and understand that for some jobs, schedules can change on a whim. The good thing is that there will always come a time when you two will spend time together, so a shift change here and there shouldn’t ruin the relationship.
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Do random sweet things
It’s always nice to do sweet things for your partner,but the sentiment is even more heartfelt when you don’t see your man often. Leave him a nice note to read when he gets home. Wake up for a few minutes when he gets home to say hello. Pack him a lunch so that he can sleep a few extra minutes. These all show that you care and love him.
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Avoid arguing about small problems
Arguing in person is one thing, but when you have opposite schedules and limited time together, one of the worst things you can do is to argue about the small things. If your man left tons of dishes in the sink or if he forgot to put the laundry in the wash, don’t turn it into a big deal. Let the small things go and focus on enjoying the time you do have together.
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Make time for sex
Having schedules that don’t mesh can definitely mess with you and your man’s bedroom fun. Though spending time together and doing things out and about is important, be sure that you set aside some time to be intimate. Intimacy is a good time for you two to re-connect physically and emotionally, especially after not seeing each other for a week.
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Go over schedules frequently
At the beginning of each week, sit down with your man and talk about your schedules. Do any of your off-hours overlap? Can you two meet for dinner one day this week? Scheduling reviews ensures that you two can be available for each other during the upcoming week.
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Make time together exciting
When you two are together, do your best to mix things up and to keep things interesting. Don’t do the same exact thing each time ; instead, keep things fun and new. Try out a new restaurant or bar. Spend some time in a nearby city you’ve never been to before. Keeping things exciting makes the time much more valuable and memorable.
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Set expectations
When it comes to opposite schedules, it’s important that you two can come to an agreement in regards to expectations. Will you two see each other at least once a week? Will you try to meet up to have lunch together at least every other week? Create expectations and stick to them.
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Do chores on days you’re apart
No matter if you live together or not, it’s important that all chores are done and out of the way so that you don’t spend time doing them on a day when you could be hanging out with your man. If you do live together, create a chore schedule so that the house is clean, the dishes are done, and the laundry is finished before your days together arrive.
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Keep solid trust in each other
Having a lot of time apart can easily put a dent in the confidence, trust, and comfort that you have in the relationship. To make sure this doesn’t become an issue, work together, through constant communication, to make sure that the trust in the relationship does not falter.
