There are 14 million people who consider themselves to be in a long distance relationship, and almost 4 million of these are married. Deciding whether to continue your relationship when you or your partner has to move away for any reason can be scary, and a difficult decision to make, and there is so much to consider when it comes to long distance relationships. But if you have decided to take the plunge and make long distance work for you, there are ways to set yourself up for success.
Make The Most of the Time You Have
Whether you’re lucky enough to see each other every weekend, or you have to wait months between visits, making the most of the time you do have together will help to keep your relationship strong. Obviously a reliable form of transportation is the first step, in order to allow you to get to your partner as efficiently as possible, without having to worry that your car will break down. Making time for romantic connection will be extremely important to keep the spark alive in your long distance relationship. Schedule candle lit bubble baths, romantic dinners, give each other back rubs. But in addition to romance, it can also be important to participate in the everyday routine of your partner. It can be helpful to know how they spend their time when you aren’t there, and get to know their interests and their friends.
Maintain Open Communication
Making good communication a priority is important for any relationship, but especially during long distance. So many nuances of conversations can easily get lost when much of it happens through text messages sent throughout the day. But according to Dr. Crystal Jiang, of the University of Hong Kong, long distance couples tend to make more of an effort to communicate well with their partners. Similarly, a study done by Cornell University found that couples who live apart tend to have deeper, more meaningful conversations than couples who live together. The communication bootcamp that results from long distance relationships will help you and your partner form a strong foundation even if the long distance ends.
Whether it’s an easy drive of a few hours, or you have to fly across an ocean to see your partner, there’s no denying that long distance relationships are incredibly difficult. When both people make a committed effort to do everything that can to keep the love strong, it can result in a relationship foundation that is stronger than it might otherwise have been.
