Regular relationships are hard . . . long-distance relationships are really hard. No matter who you are, living hours and hours away from your partner can be extremely taxing on a relationship. Making time for one another and keeping the romance alive take real effort. However, 60% of long-distance relationships actually work out—apparently absence does make the heart grow fonder!
Okay, but those that make it work, how the heck do they do it? It takes more than lively phone calls to keep things exciting with a long distance partner. So, today, we’re sharing some strategies to spice up a long distance relationship and keep the love strong. If you’d rather listen to some great tips, tune into the episode of Note to Self called Nice Guy Paradox, Spicing Up a Long-Distance Relationship, & Dreading the Big Move. It’s got seriously THE BEST advice!
Here’s our long distance dating tips:
How To Spice Up A Long Distance Relationship
There are a lot of challenges in long-distance relationships. It’s so easy to feel lonely, encounter miscommunications, struggle with schedule differences, and lose that sense of intimacy. For a successful long-distance relationship, you need trust, commitment, patience, support, and intentionality.
So, can long distance relationships really work? Let’s chat about it!
Can Long Distance Relationships Work?
YES! It can totally work. Like we mentioned earlier, 60% of relationships survive the long distance thing, which are pretty good odds! If you’re serious about your long-distance S.O., don’t let the miles between you ruin a good thing. You just need to develop a good strategy of handling the distance for now. Hopefully, you’ll be reunited again soon!
If you need an example of long-distance couples that made it, listen to the episode of The Dream Bigger Podcast called Starting a Brand with Revolve, Long Distance Relationships to Marriage, Balancing Multiple Business and More and the episode of Note to Self called Long-Distance Relationships Tips, Conspiracy Theories, & Our 5-Year Plan with Joe Ross. Guys, this can totally work if you just keep things fresh!
How To Spice Things Up A Long Distance Relationship
Here’s exactly how to put the spark back in your long distance relationship!
Get creative with virtual date nights.
We all learned how to have a good time on video call after COVID, so it’s time to apply those FaceTime skills to your dating life! Instead of just talking, do something together in real time. You could simultaneously cook a meal, complete a craft, do a workout, play board games, try and drink homemade cocktails, or even hunt for dream homes. Who doesn’t like to browse multi-million dollar homes on Zillow???
The point is, plan activities you can do together that’ll not only give you the chance to connect, but make lasting memories like you would if you lived in the same city!
Send each other themed care packages.
Everyone loves a thoughtful gift. It’s hard to support our S.O. from afar, but themed care packages are a great way to do it. If they’re starting a new job, send them stuff for their office, a gift card for new clothes, and a few celebratory snacks! (Oh, and don’t forget a picture of you for their new desk.)
Or, if they’re sick, overnight a care package with tissues, herbal tea, soup, a cozy blanket, a book, and a sweet note. If you don’t have a specific theme in mind, just make it an “I Miss You” care package like this “Back Soon” cap, a framed photo of the two of you, their favorite snacks, a pair of the softest socks EVER, and maybe a crewneck with your city on it! (From Austin or LA??? The Dear Media Shop has you covered!)
Play online games together.
Video games are another good strategy to have quality time with your long-distance partner in a totally fun, relaxing, and low-maintenance way. And, no, you don’t have to be a “gamer girl” to find a game that you like. There are so many simple, cute collaborative games for couples like It Takes Two, Stardew Valley, or Minecraft! If you’re competitive, your relationship might survive Overcooked, but, be prepared. Your video chat is going to sound like an episode of The Bear.
Send surprise flowers or gift deliveries.
Sending surprise flowers or gift deliveries is the perfect way to establish a sense of closeness. Even if you’re far away, you can call a florist or other delivery business to send your S.O. a gift the same day. So, it’s a great way to be spontaneous and show them you’re thinking about them all the time.
Start a movie or book club.
Another good way of connecting with a long distance partner is by reading books or watching a movie or TV show together! You can watch stuff together in real time with Kast and discuss it while you watch (and afterwards, of course.) May we suggest a Bravo show??? The drama provides the perfect foundation for some great convos.
If you’re more of a reading time, basically start a book club! Choose a book, read it on your own, and then call to discuss! If you’re not sure what books to read, you can follow along with The Readheads. Then listening to the podcast can be another thing you do together!
Listen to a podcast.
Everyone loves those relationships where you can just have the video call open while you each do your own thing. It almost feels like your long distance partner is right there with you. Instead of sitting in silence, listen to a podcast together! It creates a sense of togetherness and gives you something to talk about later even when neither one of you are feeling particularly social. For podcast recs, here’s some of the best podcasts for couples!
Send flirty texts.
Thinking about your partner throughout the day? Let them know with a flirty text. It establishes a sense of intimacy and keeps that connection alive even from afar. And, hopefully they’ll send a flirty text back and things will get really exciting. Want more on that? Listen to the episode of Ex Virgin called Sexting and Riding Tips From a True Professional.
Write each other love letters.
There is something so romantic about handwritten letters sent through the mail. No matter what is written, it strengthens your emotional connection. It takes time and a lot of thought to curate and send a love letter—it’s the perfect tradition for a long-distance couple! You can grab a few greeting cards from the DM Shop like this ILYSM Card or this You’ll Do Card.
Create a shared playlist.
Here’s another simple way to feel connected to your S.O. when you’re far away from them. Create a shared playlist that you both add music to. It’s an easy way to share your interests, feelings, and time with your partner!
Have a boudoir photoshoot.
Obviously, if you’re thousands of miles apart, you’re not having sex every night. That lack of intimacy can weigh on some couples, but you can definitely spice things up with a sex photoshoot! Find a boudoir photographer in your area, make a photobook of the pics, and then send them to your partner! (Or, you could send them digitally!)
Experiment with phone sex.
Though there’s physical distance, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a physical relationship. Maintain a sense of intimacy with phone sex! Or, you know, there’s plenty you can do one video chat, too. 😉 Ask your partner what they want to do, and listen to this episode of We Met At Acme and this episode of The Papaya Podcast about sex and virtual relationships!
Plan your next visit.
At some point you’re going to see each other again! It makes it easier to deal with not being physically close if you spend time planning your next visit. Knowing when you’re going to get to hold your S.O. again will help combat those lonely days! Listen to the episode of Note to Self called Travel Hacks, Long-Distance Tips & Staying Independent in a Relationship to plan your trip and get long distance relationship advice!
Spice up your long-distance relationship with these tips!
Distance SUCKS. We all wish we could stay close to our partners. But, if you find yourself in a long-distance relationship, you can definitely make it work. Just be intentional with your time and your love will know no distance!
Want more on long-distance relationships??? Check out these podcast episodes: