5 Office Strategies That Will Help You Succeed in Dating

By: Brie Gatchalian

Have you ever considered using business principles and office etiquette to help you succeed with your romantic relationships? Just like you would behave in the office to impress bosses and colleagues, you can use the same strategies in dating. Here are some ideas!

1. Don’t Be Late
Like you were for your first interview at said job, you probably shouldn’t be late for your dates. Try to be on time as much as possible. That way, your dates won’t be gruff when you finally get there. Ladies, I know it’s tough sometimes–getting ready, trying to prettify, and getting to the venue on time, but don’t make it a habit of making him wait (for the date, that is). You’ll have a more pleasant time as a result.

2. Stay Nice and Calm
A major rule that works for the office is the old adage, don’t be rude. The same holds true in terms of dating. Although, the reason for not being mean at work has a lot to do with office politics, burning bridges holds true for both scenarios–dating and working. If you get irked by a date and burn a bridge, the consequences can be detrimental. He might know someone you know and spread rumors about you being a bad date. Or worse–he might be a psychopath and seek revenge. Just go the fair and diplomatic route. If you don’t like the guy, just phase him out so he has no idea you were irked.

3. Prioritize
Just like you’d make a “to do” list at work, you might want to do the same when it comes to dating. But instead of prioritizing the tasks at hand, you can prioritize what you’re looking for in a date. After all, you do have prerequisites, don’t you? Write them down and check things off as he meets your requirements or clues you in on red flags. Staying organized might help you decide whether or not you want to go on future dates, too.

4. Be Good with Correspondence
Never leave someone hanging because that’s not nice and if there’s such a thing as karma, it’ll come back and bite you in the behind. Try to respond to your dates in a timely fashion and always follow up when appropriate. That way, there won’t be any misunderstandings and he’ll know you’re interested. If you’re not interested, just politely say you’re busy–he should get the hint. If he doesn’t, just phase him out slowly. Being good with correspondence might land you a new friend, if not a new boyfriend, as well.

5. Pick Your Battles
You wouldn’t fight every battle you felt strongly for in the office. That’d be a whole lot of fighting and the office is not the right place for combat. The same goes for relationships and dating. Don’t fight with your date left and right. You might not see eye to eye on everything, but it’s okay just to listen, debate and agree to disagree. Or even better, if it’s not a fight worth fighting, just let it go. My friend Claire always says that you won’t always agree with your mate–it’s just a matter of which flaws and disagreements you can learn to live with. Everyone is different after all.