‘Tis the season to sit around with your boyfriend, being lazy and ignoring the outside world. The sun is down at 4 p.m. and it’s painfully frigid outside, so why leave the house when the thing you love the most is already there? It’s easy to fall into a couple’s coma during winter, but that bad habit will inevitably upset your friends and put a ton of pressure on your relationship. Here’s how to avoid this seasonal dating rut:
- Stop ignoring all your texts. Your friends were considering filing a missing person’s report until you checked in on Facebook from your own couch with a to-go pizza. There are people who are dying to spend time with you, so stop ignoring them!
- Hit the gym together. You’ll be out of the house, you’ll begin to have more energy on a daily basis, and you’ll be inspired get out in the world to show off your hot bods. A body in motion stays in motion, they say, so start that movement by breaking a sweat at the gym.
- Put some real pants on. PJs and spandex are the greatest things ever, but they’ll seriously kill your motivation to get out of the house. Change your pants, change your attitude, and remember what it feels like to be a fully functioning human being.
- Set a Netflix limit. Set a limit to prevent bingeing and ensure you make it to the plans you committed to. Can’t stop? You might have a problem on your hands (this doesn’t apply if you just starting watching Making a Murder, obvi.)
- Realize how much money you’re wasting on take-out. Do you even know how many nice dinner dates and wild nights at the bar you could have funded with all the money you spent getting delivery all winter? Possibly enough to put a down payment on a modest house? If that figure doesn’t shock you off your couch, I’m not sure what will.
- Splurge on something that makes you feel hot. Go get a blow out, buy a new outfit, or blow your paycheck at Sephora — whatever makes you feel sexy. It will put you in the mood to get out and socialize, and you’ll take enough pics to make up for the last month you spent looking homeless in your apartment.
- Remember that come spring, you’ll want some friends to hang out with. Friendship is a two-way street, and most of your friends will be hurt if you ditch them for cuddles with your boyfriend all winter. Put some effort in now to avoid being friendless by the time all the snow melts.
- Plan a date night. Getting out of your couple’s coma funk doesn’t have to start with a huge blow out party with everyone you’ve ever met. Sometimes you just need a taste of interacting with the world to remind you of what you’re missing out on. Plan a date night, commit to a time, and drag yourself there no matter how sleepy you are.
- Plan a girl’s night. When your guy is your best friend and favorite person, sometimes you have to intentionally schedule things that don’t include him or you’ll accidentally end up being that couple who does everything together. Planning a girl’s night is a great way to ensure you get out of the house, but also spend some time away from your boyfriend. Don’t forget you don’t need him to have fun, even if things are more fun when he tags along too.
- Look at your relationship objectively.Are you the type of couple you would make fun of if you were single? Would you talk crap about one of your friends if she was acting how you are? If you look at your relationship objectively, and aren’t happy with what you see, that will help you find the motivation to make some changes and get out of your winter rut.
