Signs Your Date-Life Balance Isn’t Healthy
Dating can be really exhilarating, and it makes sense that you'd be so excited about it that it would be on your mind and what you spend a decent amount of your time doing. However, there does come a time when your life succumbs to dating and it's the only thing you do—and that isn't healthy.
Luckily, there are some signs that will help you notice if your date-life balance isn't right.
You Feel Lost Without Weekend Plans
When it comes to the weekend, two days hardly feels like enough time to relax and unwind. But if you're finding that your weekends are becoming stressful if you don't have any plans to go out with someone, that isn't a great sign.
You Spend All Your Spare Time Dating
All of your spare time is dedicated to dating. You have every weekend and evening booked up with hanging out with potential boyfriends or dedicated to going out to bars or parties to try and meet someone, and that isn't a healthy way to live.
You're Constantly Thinking About Finding "The One"
When you're not on dates, you find yourself wandering to that part of your brain that daydreams about finding the one. While it's OK to have daydreams and want to find love, it isn't healthy to spend all of your spare time thinking about it.
Dates Are Starting To Make You Feel Exhausted
Even though you want to keep going on dates because you want to find someone, you're starting to find them a little bit exhausting in a way that makes you sigh and fall down on your bed when you get home. You have no more emotional energy left.
You've Made Finding A Relationship Your Top Priority
Of all the aspirations you have in your life, finding a partner has become your top one. You've made it the only thing you work towards, and you've set aside your other goals. There is more to life than just being in a relationship.
You Hardly See Your Friends
Because you've been spending all your time and energy on dating, you've rarely seen your friends. Really ask yourself: when was the last time you spent time with the other people in your life?
You Drop Plans If A Date Comes Up
When you do have plans with your friends, you're quick to cancel them if something comes up where you can go and meet someone, or you would rather just stay at home and swipe through Tinder.
You Keep Thinking About Your Ex
If your ex has been in the back of your mind the whole time you've been going on these dates, then you really have to ask yourself if all of this behavior is because you haven't moved on and healed from a past relationship.
You Lack Energy For Other Things
You're so tired all the time that doing the things you normally do in your life like grocery shopping, cleaning, even relaxing, seems like a huge task that isn't possible to get done.
You're Not Able To Keep Them All Straight
A really big sign that you have been going on too many dates is that you're having a hard time telling them apart. You haven't really taken the time to let anything you've learned about them sink in.
You Have The Pre-Date Dread, Not Jitters
Tune in to your body and your mind and ask yourself, are you even looking forward to these dates? It's fine to be a little bit nervous, but there shouldn't be any part of you that's dreading it.
You're Constantly On Dating Apps
You're checking your phone and looking at your dating apps every chance you get to see if you have any new matches or messages. It shouldn't dominate your time and mental space.
You Say Yes To Almost Every Date
You're saying yes to almost every date you get asked on, even if you know deep down that it's not going to work or you're probably not going to want to see them again.
You're Scared Of Being Single
Being scared of being single is not a good reason to be forcing yourself to try and find someone by going on a crazy number of dates. You have to remind yourself that being single is not going to be the worst thing that happens to you in life.
You've Become Really Cynical About Dating
Even though you've been doing a lot of searching for love, you've started thinking that it isn't going to work out for you, and you're starting to find the whole thing is some kind of joke.
Any Of This Sound Like You?
If you've read through this list and any of it is sounding like you, then you should really think about taking a break. It's obviously much easier said than done, though.
So, What Now?
There are some things that you can do that will help you feel more like yourself again and take back your life and your want to find someone and fall in love.
For Starters, Make Time For You
The first thing you need to do is take some time out to pamper yourself and recover all that emotional strength you've been spending on a quest that isn't going to get you what you want. Read a book, take a bath, watch some movies and see your friends.
Take Some Time Off Those Apps!
You don't have to delete them all forever, but signing out or uninstalling the apps for a little bit of time will really help give you some clarity and space to just refocus on yourself.
Reevaluate What Dating Means To You
The first thing you should do is take some time to rethink what dating and finding love mean to you. What are you looking for in a relationship? What will you compromise on and not compromise on? Have you only ever dated one kind of person? Refocusing yourself will help you.
