How we managed a long-distance relationship for 3 years (Confinement Day 12 in France)

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It's confinement Day 12. It must be a long time not to see your girlfriend or boyfriend for those of you who don't live together. 

I had been in a long-distance relationship with my boyfriend before we started to live together. Back then, he lived in France and I was in Japan. We met each other in person about five times in three years. 

My tips might be useful for you if you cannot see your partner in person during this difficult time.

1. Respect each other's work time

Your free time is not his or her free time. Just because your partner can't talk to you at that particular moment, it does not mean that he or she does not want to do so. 

In this day and age, we can always contact each other anytime anywhere. However, it doesn't mean that the person is always available for you, even he or she is working from home. 

You might say, "Yeah, sure, but can't he or she spare 2 minutes to respond to my message?" 

The answer is he or she does not have to do so. If your partner is working or has a personal project that he or she is working on, you do not interrupt them. And vice versa. 

Work is work, and you need to respect it. 

2. Make dedicated time for communication rather than exchanging messages constantly

It's always better to talk face to face rather than exchanging messages throughout the day. And even when you are not able to talk face to face, it's better to have a chunk of time dedicated to the communication between you.

Try to reserve at least 20 minutes of the day to really talk to each other without doing other things at the same time. 

3. Don't play games, be honest

If you are serious about your relationship, don't play games to gain each other's attention. It's a waste of time trying to spice up what you have. Being in a long-distance relationship is already spicy by itself and you don't need to pour fuels into it. 

Be honest about how you feel about your partner. Tell that you love him or her without making them work for it. You cannot afford to have unstable feelings when you are physically separated. 


I hope these tips help in some way. Stay safe until you can see your partner in person again.

Thank you as always for reading.

Location: フランス

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