Tips to Balance Your Dating Life

Do you ever feel like a yo-yo, bouncing back and forth between dating a lot and wanting to hide away in your home and never check your online matches again? Dating isn't easy, and requires a lot of effort sometimes to meet new people.

It's great that you are motivated sometimes to join several online dating sites, book multiple dates in a week, and generally put yourself out there as much as possible. But not all of these dates are going to be fantastic - in fact, let's be honest, many won't rock your world, but might lie somewhere between bad and boring. This can be really discouraging, but the answer isn't taking a break from checking the sites and holing up in your house, promising yourself that you'll never do it again. This is a self-defeating frame of mind.

Instead of the emotionally draining and time-consuming back and forth of this type of thinking, try looking for a balance in your dating life. After all, you wouldn't work 100-hour weeks for two months and then call your boss and say you're taking a month off because you can't work anymore. No company would tolerate that kind of erratic behavior. Steady and consistent is a better idea. Same with romance - persistence is key, so keeping your batteries charged and your time more balanced is essential.

Following are some tips to avoid dating burnout:

Make a plan and know your limits. When you're feeling motivated, instead of booking up your calendar with first dates, plan for how you want to spend each week. That is, if you have a demanding job, then you know it's easier for you to meet people for coffee on Saturday or Sunday. Don't try to cram several dates into the weeknights because you'll just create more stress, which isn't a great vibe for dating. Also, be sure to include time each week for yourself to recharge. Life isn't all about one thing - whether it's work, dating, friends, or family obligations. Create some boundaries.

Know what you want. Don't waste time agreeing to date people who don't interest you in the least. I'm all about keeping an open mind, but you have to have some sense of the type of relationship you want in order to connect with anyone romantically - see how you click over email and phone before you agree to a date.

Take your time and find the right site. Instead of joining four different sites at the same time, try out one at a time and see what works best for you. Most sites offer free trial periods so you can utilize them without paying upfront.

Keep it manageable. Don't spend entire lunch hours or evenings searching through matches. Designate a specific amount of time each week to searching, emailing, and chatting with potential dates. My one requirement - online dating moves fast, so be consistent. Even if it's only for 10 minutes, try logging in at least once every couple of days.

Take it easy. Don't overbook yourself. There's no need to fill your calendar with first dates to make yourself feel like you're accomplishing something. Take your time, space them out, and enjoy yourself instead of making dating seem like job interviewing.