Travel nursing provides amazing adventures, great pay, and valuable professional experience, but it can occasionally cause conflict in romantic relationships. They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but this doesn’t make long-distance dating any less difficult!

There are several ways to make things easier on you and your partner, whether you’ve been with someone for a long-time or met someone recently before your assignment.

Continue reading for a list of tips and strategies for keeping your long-distance relationship alive while on assignment.

• Create a Game Plan

In a long-distance relationship, planning is essential. Before you leave for your assignment, discuss what you expect from each other during your absence. Create a list of your wants, needs, and boundaries. Setting expectations will save you a lot of worry and stress.

Do you enjoy texting or checking in on your phone throughout the day? Are you more available to speak at certain times of the day? Will you travel together during your assignment to see each other?

Once you’ve devised a strategy, you’ll both have a better idea of what to expect while you’re away. You won’t have to worry about your partner failing to respond to your texts or phone calls, and vice versa.

• Communicate Innovatively

Physical restrictions on long-distance relationships can be difficult, but you can avoid feeling stuck by devising ways of communicating.

Giving your partner a “full tour” of your new home when you arrive is a fun way to make them feel like they’re along for the ride. Small, thoughtful updates about your day will let them know you’re thinking about them.

If you’ve set specific times of day to communicate, that doesn’t mean you can’t be spontaneous – send a link to a song you both like, take a picture of something silly, or discuss what you’ll do on your first date when you get back home.

Make a point of scheduling longer catch-up calls in advance. Having a Skype date or phone call to look forward to can help those long shifts pass quickly.

• Share Your Experiences

Long-distance relationships are now much easier to maintain thanks to advances in technology. Even if you live halfway around the world from your partner, there are still ways to share your experiences.

Choose a show that neither of you has seen before to watch while you’re away. Setting aside evenings to watch it together and discuss new episodes is an excellent way to stay engaged and connected. The same can be said for movies, articles, and books.

• Remind Yourself That It Temporary

Even if it appears that you will be apart for a long time, this is simply not the case! If you are experiencing conflict, miscommunications, or are simply feeling down, remind yourself that your assignment will come to an end.

While obsessing over how many days you have until you return home is not a good idea, it can be useful on particularly difficult days.

While traveling as a nurse, there are numerous ways to stay in touch with loved ones. Travel nursing can help you learn about yourself and your partner in exciting ways with a little effort and honest communication, allowing you to cultivate an even deeper connection than the one you already have.

• Maintain Relationships with Others

You may be tempted to spend every spare moment with your significant other, but this can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Outside of your relationship, it is critical to maintain independent friendships.

Don’t pass up opportunities to socialize with coworkers or make new friends outside of work, even if it means canceling that Skype call with your partner. Making friends will make your significant other happy if they want the best for you.

• Be Flexible

While it is critical to establish and maintain standards and expectations in your relationship, don’t let a change in plans stress you out. Keep an open mind and try to stay in the present moment, because your assignment will not last forever. Furthermore, your partner will appreciate your adaptability because it will allow you to communicate that you are confident in your relationship.

• Make an Investment in Yourself

The bottom line is that the quality of your experience is entirely up to you. The best way to enjoy your time away from your partner is to view your travel nursing assignment as an opportunity rather than a hindrance.

Allow yourself plenty of time to pursue your own interests. Explore your new city, pick up old or new hobbies, and invest in your own happiness. Spend your time in ways that will prevent you from having regrets about your amazing nursing adventure in the future.

Staying in a long-distance relationship will become more meaningful if you develop the ability to be satisfied on your own – because you are truly choosing to be with the person you love.

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