Growing up, I thought couples found time for each other easily. Nowadays, I've realized that perhaps they made it look easier than what it is. Now that I'm a lot older, I've learned that it's not always easy to balance your work life with your love life, while also finding some time for yourself.
The transition from a student to a working adult is big. It's also not noticeable until you try to make plans with someone else. As my graduation day approaches and the need to hunt down a job becomes crucial, this has tightened my schedule to the point that I feel that I've aged 20 years. It doesn't help that my partner's schedule is getting busier than what it already is, and my friends will still be in college while getting an internship. Talk about hanging out on the holidays!
Okay, joking aside, we try to find one day (different from the one to spend time with your partner since I'm in an LDR) that we are the less busy to try and spend time together. During that time, we try avoiding arguments and focus on catching up while having fun.
When it comes to relationships, it's harder when the distance huge. If your partner was 15 minutes away or living with you, compromising would not be much of an issue since both of you can spend time together at the end of the day. The issue there will be balancing your time with either your children (if you have any), a solo time for each where work cannot interfere, and time to spend with friends and family.
However, when your partner is miles away and possibly in a different time zone, compromising can be nice, finding that middle ground, though, is hard. You know your partner's schedule, they know yours, and neither of you knows a good time to spend together outside of your usual day. You can start feeling hopeless, feeling that maybe you are not worthy enough, that maybe you are the only one trying or the one that is not trying enough, you can also start feeling guilty. My advice: stop. As time passes, both of you will naturally find the time to spend together. Remember they are a text away and if you really need their voice call them. They will understand.
Remember to be patient and to try. Also, be understanding if changes happen last minute, we cannot control everything in our life. Remember not to stretch yourself thin for the sake of others, the idea is to balance your work life, not make your body collapse because you are trying to please everyone.
