10 Ways to Keep the Spark Alive When in a Long Distance Relationship

A long distance relationship is not easy. 

"Distance means so little when someone means so much." — Tom McNeal

You might find yourself missing your partner and feeling lonely, which is quite normal. They require a lot of commitment, reciprocation and adequate communication from everyone involved. 

Your inability to physically be together does not mean that your relationship should suffer. Rather, it means your relationship gets a chance to evolve in other aspects without being distracted by being physically together. 

Most of us know that we need to be connected to our partners, but the question is how? Below are some tips that can help. 

10 Ways to Spice Up Your Long Distance Relationship 

1. Work together.

If you are working from home or in an environment that makes it possible, consider work dates.

Zoom or my personal favorite, Focusmate make it easy for you to individually do your work together. This also helps you keep each other accountable by following up on the completion of tasks. 

2. Have movie nights.

Movie dates don’t have to be canceled because you are in different time zones.

Whether the latest season of your favorite series is out, or there is a new movie trending, you can pick a time when both of you can watch together on Teleparty.  You can call or Facetime while you watch to make you feel closer to your partner. 

3. Send thoughtful gifts.

Nothing can brighten up your partner’s day more than a thoughtful random surprise gift.

If you have their address, you can easily get flowers, a box of chocolates, or a bottle of wine delivered to them. Don’t forget to add a loving note. 

4. Send them a handwritten letter.

The traditional handwritten love letter never goes out of style.

You will have a good time moving your thoughts and feelings from your heart to a piece of paper. The letter will be a special sentimental thing that your partner will hold on to for a while. It will also remind them of how thoughtful you are. 

5. Play games together.

If one or both of you enjoy playing games, you can try playing games together. Thanks to technology you can communicate while playing the game. This will guarantee hours of fun with your significant other. 

6. Have fitness challenges.

Add each other on your fitness trackers and come up with various challenges such as to see who does the most steps in a week or who went to the gym consistently. Depending on your fitness levels you can both set goals for yourselves and challenge each other to achieve those goals. 

7. Try sexting.

Since you can not be physically intimate, sexting can bridge that gap until you meet in person again. Use your imagination and stay creative!

8. Exchange playlists.

Do you have songs that accurately capture how you feel or effectively communicate something you would want your partner to know?

As you listen to music, compile and exchange playlists. Not only will this expose you to new artists and music, but it will also help you know more about your partner’s taste in music. 

9. Start a book club.

If you both enjoy reading you can consider bonding over a good book. If you have different book interests, you can read different books, and when you have your book club meeting, you can tell your partner what is happening in your book.

If you are like me and lose motivation midway through, this will also motivate you to get your reading done. 

10. Plan a surprise visit.

When your schedule and bank account allow, consider planning a surprise visit. Talk to your partner about their schedule in advance. If you talk to some of their friends who stay closer to them, those friends can also help you plan the trip.

The smile on your partner’s face will surely make you happy. 

A Long Distance Relationship Can Work

There is no universal way to make a long distance relationship work. Just like with any other relationship, it involves two unique people who have different needs. The trick is to understand what your partner wants and doing that for them. 

Physically spending time together makes the relationship stronger, but that doesn’t mean LDRs are doomed. Keep in contact and continue building the connection the two of you have.

Trust is also a great anchor of successful LDRs. When you both trust each other, there is no need for anyone to bombard the other person with texts and calls.

But that doesn't mean you should neglect your partner and never check in with them or make them feel unwanted. 

Photo by RODNAE Productions