Being physically separated from the person you love puts strains on even the strongest relationships. However, the use of technology allows couples to maintain and strengthen their bonds while they’re apart. Read about some of the ways social media, smartphones, and other technological tools are helping fan the flames of love, even for long distance relationships that might have fizzled under the strain of separation.
Text Messages
These messages can be short and sweet, enough to wish your love a “Good morning!” or long and lingering to propose how you might spend your first night back together. The versatility of a text message as a conduit for long to medium form messages makes it an ideal way to keep in touch throughout the day. You can send a quick “I love you!” during a meeting without appearing to be distracted by your phone. Be careful with texting that you don’t give someone an impression that you’re mad or upset by being too glib or short.
Though you may think the short messages seem trite, they’re a signal to the other person that you’re thinking about him or her throughout the day. When you’re apart, that unspoken message is reassuring and helps to reinforce the importance of the relationship to you.
Perhaps you each agree to snap pictures of what you’re having for dinner and sharing them as you sit down to eat. You can even plan to eat at the same time, texting photos of the food, and talking on the phone during the meal. In this way, you’re sharing a meaningful experience without being in the same location.
It’s also possible to use texting to send seductive photos to each other. Though “sexting” has gotten a bad reputation among young people, it can be a way to keep things hot in a long term relationship when the partners are away from each other.
For people in a long term relationship, it’s difficult to overstate the value of sending each other long-form messages through email. Vary the content between sharing about how you spent your day and thoughts about the journey you’re on as a couple. Even going through some of the mundane aspects of your day makes the other person feel included in your life, despite the distance that separates you.
Consider writing a naughty story and attaching a risqué photo. It’s possible to establish and maintain intimacy, even at a distance, with email and texting.
Video Chatting
By far, the most popular option for video chatting is Skype. This service lets you set up “virtual dates” where you can spend time together talking, watching a movie together at the same time, and even simulate meals and going places together, if you take your laptop, smartphone, or tablet with you as you move around.
Writing for The Juggle, an ongoing feature section for WSJ.com, Sue Shellenbarger presents evidence that with tools such as video chatting, maintain a long-distance relationship is entirely possible. When you’re relying on these technologies to stay connected, it’s important to have a phone from a reputable company that’s connected to the fast 4G network for optimal video chatting capabilities.
Video Messages
Some communication programs, including Skype and What’s App, allow you to leave video messages. This is the perfect way to go a step beyond an email or text when it’s not possible for you and your beloved to sync your schedules for a virtual date or meal. Being able to see your partner’s expressions as he or she talks generates feelings of intimacy and reduces the chances that the person who receives the message could misinterpret what you’re saying.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing can do wonders for a relationship, whether it is uploading pictures to a shared cloud that remind you of memories shared together or a myriad of other things. This can also be used to store videos or any number of things. Getting an unlimited cloud is important as you do not want to spend money that could be used for other things. Clouds like those at Unlimcloud.com give unlimited space from free!
Embrace the opportunities to connect when you’re away from the person you love by taking advantage of the different technology-based tools for staying in touch. You no longer have to rely exclusively on one or two options for communicating. Integrate the range of options into your communications to ensure you’re doing all you can to nurture the long-distance relationship you’ve built.
