There are many great things about being a traveling healthcare professional. But let’s be honest, trying to maintain a long-distance personal relationship isn’t always one of them.
For travelers, maintaining your connections back home is important while on assignment. Personal relationships are critical for happiness and neglecting them can put a damper on your mental health and job performance.
But before we venture too far into this blog, it’s important to say that just because you’ve decided to embark on a career as a travel healthcare worker doesn’t mean your relationship is doomed to fail.
Far from it – in fact, there are steps you can take to make sure your relationship stays healthy, and you and your loved one grow as a couple and as individuals. While face-to-face connections are often easier and of higher value to us, there are many ways to connect across the miles.
Here are a few tips on how to build on your relationships and stay in touch, no matter how far you travel:
Make a Schedule to Talk
As a traveler, your schedule might be opposite from your loved ones and can keep you quite busy throughout the week. Identify a time that works for both of you and schedule a phone call or video chat each week. This way, you have something to look forward to, and it’s less likely you’ll be too busy to talk.
Do Things Together
You don’t have to be in the same city as your loved one to do things together. For example, there are numerous websites that let you synchronize TV shows on streaming services, so you can watch TV with a partner. You can also play an online game while voice chatting or put your phone on speaker while you’re cooking dinner. Get creative!
Don’t Take Your Partner for Granted
Your significant other is at home supporting you to live out of town and follow your dreams. You don’t HAVE to work out of town – you’re choosing to do this. So, don’t take advantage of your partner by taking them for granted. Realize the sacrifices they’re making for you and express gratitude for that. They’re lonely, and they miss you too, so make sure you’re both on the same page.
Handwrite Letters
Snail mail is a great option, especially when you’re apart from a loved one. Sending a hand-written note can be a thoughtful or romantic gesture your loved one will appreciate even after you return.
A Parting Thought
One of the important things to remember when in a long-distance relationship is that it requires a higher level of trust, communication, and thoughtfulness. You both need to be open and honest about your emotions and discuss things that are bothering you as they happen.
Long-distance relationships give you the opportunity to explore parts of yourself on your own, learn how to be self-sufficient, and grow into someone new. Once you return from your assignment, you and your loved one can have a greater understanding of yourselves and what it means to be in a loving relationship.
At Focus Staff, we understand the ins and outs of traveling healthcare professionals during these challenging times and have access to a wide variety of excellent professional opportunities. To learn more, contact us today.
