You have meetings stacked back to back, your boss is expecting those reports by the end of the day, and you have entirely too many things still not marked off your to-do list. Workaholics, we hear you, and we get it — it’s hard to think of much of anything else when there’s always a mountain to climb.
Don’t let your work put everything else on hold though. More and more, even the brightest and most ambitious entrepreneurs are taking a stance against the all-work, no-play mentality, and becoming vocal advocates of balance.
You deserve a love life, and your date deserves your full, undivided attention. Here’s how to make sure it happens, no matter how many hours you’re pulling down.
#1 — Put It In Your Planner
Planner, Google Calendar — whatever. If you’re a workaholic with any kind of order to the universe, you know that if it’s not on the schedule, it’s not getting done.
Whether it’s date night or making sure you get home in time to have dinner and a conversation with your partner, make sure it happens regularly by actually physically putting it in your schedule each month.
Give yourself (and your date) plenty of advance notice, and get it literally on the books so you don’t forget or try to postpone romance.
#2 — Get Plenty of Sleep
If you have romantic plans the next day, make sure you make sleep a priority. It’s not just good for your health and productivity — it makes you a more attentive and fun person to be around, and your date will appreciate you having the energy.
#3 — Give Yourself a Cushion of Time
Things happen — meetings run long, traffic gets crazy, and before you know it, you’re rushing out the door in your suit.
Nobody likes a late date, regardless of how good the reason. Give yourself ample time to get ready and get to where you’re going after work, and be firm about sticking to your own schedule. If someone needs a word, it can wait — you have a hot date.
#4 — Do a Brain Dump Before You Leave the Office
Some couples love nothing more than to talk about work together, but there’s definitely a balance to be achieved there. To avoid bogarting the conversation, budget time for a brain dump before you leave the office.
Use a program like Evernote to literally talk yourself through any remaining worries or problems you have at the end of the day, and come to enough of a resolution that you can feel good about not stewing over them until the morning.
#5 — Come Up With Five Things You Don’t Know About Your Date
Being absorbed in your work often comes with being absorbed in yourself, and that’s okay — it happens to the best of us. Consider a date like an interview, though, regardless of how well established the relationship, and you want to get to know the other person just as much as they want to get to know you.
On the way there, think about who you’re meeting up with. What do you really know about them? What are their passions? Do they like their apartment? How was their day? Pique your own curiosity, and you’ll make an impression that makes them actually want to call you back.
#6 — Set Your Phone to ‘Do Not Disturb’
In today’s day and age, it feels somewhat socially acceptable to be glued to your phone the entire time. Spoiler alert though: it’s not.
Unless you’re snapping a selfie together or sharing photos from your recent vacation, keep your cell phone in your pocket and set to ‘Do Not Disturb’. Whatever it is, it can wait a few hours while you give someone else your undivided attention.
#7 — Be Present
Romance and dating is the equivalent of allowing yourself to experience the finer points of the human experience. You’re not just chugging a beer — you’re sipping a wine and getting to know the subtle nuances of that experience that make it so much more than just any other drink.
The hardest part of doing anything 100% for any workaholic is doing it with their mind and body present. When your mind is the in office, your date isn’t getting your full attention, and he’s bound to notice.
When you feel your focus drifting, make a concerted effort to snap yourself back to attention and focus on the conversation, the food, and the experience of being with someone who adds to your day in some positive way.
#8 — Don’t Be Afraid to Say No
All of this being said, workaholics are busy people. If you’re in a one-sided relationship where 90% of the effort is coming from your end, or you are being propositioned for dates with people you’re not interested in, learn to say no.
It’s not about being callous, it’s not about being cold — it’s about respecting your time (and her’s) enough to know when it’s time to pass on an opportunity and spend your precious free time more fruitfully.
Respect other people’s time, but respect your own as well.
#9 — Plan Your Primping (And Pre-Game)
Workaholics seldom make time for things like regularly shaving their legs or trimming their toenails (I mean, if we’re being honest). That said, if you have a little catchup to do in the grooming department, plan your schedule accordingly.
Get a haircut a few days before your date, take your shower early enough that you’re not exfoliating past 10 pm, and give yourself plenty of time to change and feel your best after work and before your date.
Are you guilty of letting work keep you from a healthy love life? What have you done to make room for more of a personal life? Tell us in the comments below!
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