How to Give Your Guy Space and Not Be Overbearing

Being in a relationship means giving each other space to breath. Although you may want to be with your guy every minute, there are times when the two of you need time apart. It's important to give your man space so that the relationship thrives with independence as well and intimacy. Here are some tips for giving your guy space and avoiding being the overbearing girlfriend that guys hate so much.

Instructions

1. Allow your guy time to be with his friends. Most guys have a designated day when they enjoy time with their friends. For some, this is football Sunday, for others, it's a weekly pool league, softball games, or even poker night. To avoid being the overbearing girlfriend, give your guy space to be with his friends on certain nights. Don't guilt him into staying home or doing something with you on these nights or he'll start to resent you and the relationship over time. Instead, be the cool girlfriend and allow your man to do what he wants on these nights. Tell your guy that you want him to have fun with his friends and enjoy himself. Give him the 'okay' to do so. This makes him feel good about getting the space he needs and will help him to appreciate you more. Also, the nice thing about giving your guy time with friends is that he'll most likely reciprocate the courtesy and give you time with your girls as well.

2. Let your guy be alone when he needs to be. Many guys do not want to communicate about their feelings all the time. When something bothers them, many men prefer to stew alone. Give your guy the space he needs to deal with his problems in privacy. Men are not like women in the sense that we need to vent to our girlfriends, our partner, or our family about bad things that happen to us. Guys often prefer to be left to handle situations on their own. You may, however, acknowledge that your guy is upset and ask if there is anything you can do. If he responds, 'no', then let it go and allow him to have his space. While there are some guys who do like to talk about things, you need to let your man go off alone if he doesn't prefer to deal with problems this way. It's best for the relationship if you respect your guy's privacy and need to be alone. He will come around eventually when he is ready to talk to you about things.

3. Give your guy space to get the things done he needs to finish. You may think that working on that old car or doing his fantasy football league are foolish and silly things, but to him, they are not. A man's hobbies are things that are important to him and just because you don't think he should waste him time doing them, does not mean he should give these things up. Giving your guy space to do the things he enjoys will help him to appreciate you in his life. Letting your man know that you understand why he needs his time to do these things will make your relationship stronger and give him the breathing room he needs to give you his full attention later. Many guys think a woman scrapbooking, getting her nails and hair done, and shopping for clothes are silly things, but we do them anyway. Neither sex may ever understand what makes the other one tick, but allowing your guy room to grow and do the things he loves will help him to want to give the same respect back to you.

4. Try not to demand a lot of your guy's time. Even though you may want to spend every second with your man, that does not mean you are entitled to all of his time. Each person in a relationship needs space to breath and keep their individuality. When that sense of self is threatened, that's when problems in the relationship arise. To keep your relationship strong and your bond with your man close, allow him room to be without you. Stealing a man's time every chance you get can cause disappointment, hard feelings, and push your guy away quickly. No one wants to have all their time demanded. Instead, we all want to feel that we can pretty much come and go as we please, as long as we've taken care of our responsibilities. Giving your guy time away from you also helps him to miss you and appreciate the relationship. After all, how can your guy think about you and long for you if you're always in the room with him? Let him have the time away to desire coming back to you and keep his sense of self in check.

Tips & Warnings

• A man should never take up all of your time either...women need just as much space as men and it should be an equal partnership in this respect.

• Take time to do hobbies yourself, spend time with girlfriends, or just be alone...finding things to take up your time will help you to give your guy more time to himself.

• Never show you're upset with your man for doing things on his own (unless of course he's NEVER home...that's a different issue)...you don't want to risk looking possessive or crazy and there is nothing wrong with the two of you having a life outside of each other.