Is It Possible to Pursue Romance and Career at the Same Time?

who I am working in the city after university

When it comes to life plans, so many of us think that we have things sorted out. We have a clear idea of where we’re going, what we’re going to do, and how we’re going to go about achieving everything that we want. But when we try to put things into practice, they don’t necessarily always work out as planned. Life, after all, gets in the way. This is fine!

One question that you’ll often be asked in regards to your life plan as a woman, is “but when will you settle down?” This can be frustrating. Men aren’t asked this question. But if a man can balance a romance and career at once, so can you! Here’s everything that you could possibly need to know about succeeding in your career and personal relationships all at once.

Don’t Waste Time Playing Games

The majority of modern dating seems to have the frustrating aspect of game playing involved. People tend to stick with certain waiting periods between replying to messages. But why mess about if you are both clearly into each other? Once you’ve mastered the skill of how to tell when a guy is flirting with you or how to tell when a girl is flirting with you, you should be pretty set to go.

If they’re flirting and you’re interested, hop to it! Ask them out on a date if they haven’t asked you yet. What’s the worst that can happen? They say no and you haven’t wasted your precious time over it. You don’t want to spend months messaging to and fro only to realise way down the line that they only consider you a friend. Be upfront with your emotions. It takes confidence, but it will make life a whole lot easier for you.

Moving Past the “Just Dating” Phase

If you’re into someone and things seem to be going well, then it’s probably about time that you settle into a relationship. This makes things much more comfortable. You will both know where you stand and you can spend less time worrying about what the other person may or may not be up to and focus your attention on what you should be concentrating on through the days. No more spending hours scrolling through social media wondering whether they’re going on dates with whoever it may be that is posting on their timeline, tagging them in photos, or liking all of their pictures!

Separate Work and Play

When it comes to succeeding in your career without letting it consume your whole life, you need to separate work and play. This goes for all aspects of your personal life. While you should invest as much effort as possible into your job, you do need a little time for yourself and the people you love. When it comes to work and your romantic relationship, you need to ensure that your time is shared equally between the two. Don’t spend your working hours texting, calling, or emailing each other. Dedicate your working hours to work. This way, you’ll get everything ticked off your to-do list and won’t end up having to pull overtime or late nights in the office to meet your deadlines. You can head home at the end of your shift and spend some real quality time with your partner.

Believe it or not, it will be much more rewarding than tagging one another in various memes sporadically throughout the day. At the same time, cut off from your work once you’ve left the workplace. Hometime is quality time with your partner. You shouldn’t be checking your phone constantly for work emails, taking business calls, and filling in paperwork over the dinner table. This kills conversation and can make the person you’re spending time with feel inadequate. What’s more? They’re likely to get their phone out too, resulting in a vicious cycle of ignoring one another. Avoid this at all costs. Draw a line between your work day and your relationship to keep everything running smoothly and to have a nice time too!

Don’t Be Afraid to Call It a Day

If you find that things aren’t working out and you’re spending more time arguing with one another than getting on, don’t be afraid to call it a day. Many of us are reluctant to let go of relationships, as we feel that we have invested too much time and effort into them. We also worry that we’ll feel lonely and won’t find anyone else ever again. Melodramatic, sure. But we’ve all been there. However, wasting time on a doomed relationship is doing you no favours.

You won’t be able to concentrate on your career properly if you’re constantly arguing, worrying about your partner’s behaviour, or are upset by their actions. You may also find that you both just have different ambitions. Perhaps you want to move away for business elsewhere. Maybe a job overseas has your name written all over it but your partner is reluctant to move. Don’t ever let another person hold you back if they aren’t bringing something brilliant to the table. Sure, you can compromise every now and then. But if you are unhappy more frequently than you’re happy, you not doing yourself any favours. Be brave and consider cutting things off.

Balance is Key

Of course, balancing different aspects of your life in a seemingly straight cut fashion can be difficult. We’re all fully aware of that. A romantic relationship can have profound effects on your career and where it takes you. Sure, a negative relationship can prove detrimental to your work. They may distract you, or they could talk you out of pursuing something that you thought you had your heart set on. But if you think things through and meet someone who is as flexible with your wants, needs, and ambitions as you’re willing to be with theirs, you may be onto something special.

This person could help you bloom and flourish, exceeding even your own expectations. As with all things in life, you need to moderate your romantic relationships and career with a keen eye for detail. Try stepping out of your own shoes for just a moment to survey how things are going. Advise yourself in the same manner that you would a friend. Fortunately, the answer is that yes. You can pursue romance and a career at the same time. You just need to follow the above advice to ensure that one doesn’t impose on the other.