10 Tips: How to Maintain a Long Distance Relationship

Maintaining a long distance relationship or marriage is not easy. Whether you have always lived far away from your partner, have been together for years and a new situation means a new long distance relationship or it's a young relationship to begin with, long distance is never easy. The important thing to remember is to take it day by day and confront the first signs that the two of you are drifting apart emotionally, taking the time to address them and fix them until you are back in the same house again.




How To Maintain a Long Distance Relationship Tip #1: Before You Go



Spend extra time with each other before it's time to go. If you're the one leaving, try to be as present as possible and reserve your worries about where you're going and stressors and issues there for the plane ride.



How To Maintain a Long Distance Relationship Tip #2: Use Your Resources



In this day and age, unless half of your long distance relationship is in prison, there's no reason why you can't take advantage of the incredible number of technological advances: cell phone, email, instant messaging, web cams, online photo sites. You can call and text each other unexpectedly, IM with web cams, upload pictures to an online photo site for your partner's perusal. And don't forget good old fashioned care packages and letters. Those now make more of an impact because they show that you made the extra effort.



How To Maintain a Long Distance Relationship Tip #3: Have a Schedule



If spontaneity isn't an option, then try to make sure to call on a certain time schedule or email first thing in the morning or get together for an online chat when you both have a break. If daily is too often to schedule, then make sure to meet virtually each week for an online game or to download a movie simultaneously and IM throughout.



How To Maintain a Long Distance Relationship Tip #4: Keep Romance Alive



Romance and sex often fall to the wayside when both of you are busy maintaining lives without each other there to help. You can offset this by making an effort, just as you would at home, to have "dates" via your webcams or make sure that your partner has a special memento to remind him or her of you while away. Unexpected love notes, pictures and sweet small gifts go a long way toward keeping the spark alive across the miles.




How To Maintain a Long Distance Relationship Tip #5: Plan Visits



If you can get away and meet each other for a weekend, a night, a day trip or even a few hours, it's a great way to give you two a break and a chance to reconnect.



How To Maintain a Long Distance Relationship Tip #6: Share Details



Don't just share the big things that are happening. Tell each other about the little things, as well, the kinds of things you would share if your partner were there every day. It will help keep you from feeling far apart emotionally as well as physically.



How To Maintain a Long Distance Relationship Tip #7: Ask for Details



If your partner isn't forthcoming about details of their day—who they saw, issues at work, if they're eating well or working out, if they talked to their mother or friends—then ask. Your interest alone may be enough to keep the communication going, and it's communication that's paramount when you're in a long distance relationship or marriage.



How To Maintain a Long Distance Relationship Tip #8: Share Activities



You can DVR your favorite shows or rent/download a movie and watch it at the same time. You can play online games together virtually. You can read the same book and talk about it. You can upload photos of where you are and have your partner do the same so that you can talk about what's happening with both of you. You can plan the things you'll do when you're back in the same house. The idea is to share experiences while you are apart just as you would if you were together.



How To Maintain a Long Distance Relationship Tip #9: Involve Others



If you have children, mutual friends and extended family, include them in the conversations. Share your partner with everyone—pictures, phone calls, webcam sessions—and help them remain connected to where you are beyond your relationship.



How To Maintain a Long Distance Relationship Tip #10: Plan The Reunion



The best part of a long distance relationship is when the long distance part ends. Have fun fantasizing about it while you're apart and make some of those dreams into a reality when the reunion happens