Dating a remote worker might seem like a dream—flexible hours, working from home, more time for cuddles, intense tluf tluf, right? But it’s not always that simple.
Between unending meetings and forgetting to eat, people who’ve dated remote workers have stories for days. We asked six of them to share their experiences.
Hassan*
The best part about dating my babe is knowing she’s always available. My ex was a banker, and it was probably my worst dating experience in terms of availability. We could go weeks without seeing each other, and I hated that.
That experience made me appreciate my current girlfriend. She works remotely, and I love that I can pull up at her place on a Monday morning, and she’ll be in bed, taking a call. To be fair, she spends a lot of time working, but at least she’s right there in front of me.
Jade*
My husband fully transitioned to remote work after the pandemic, and at first, it was fun because he was always at home, and we spent lots of time together.
Four years later, it’s not the same. He’s taken on a senior role, so he’s constantly on his laptop, jumping from one meeting to another or working on some urgent document. By the time he’s done, he’s always super exhausted, like he spent the entire day hawking pure water. We’ve tried to find a balance, but it hasn’t worked. Even the kids complain that daddy is always working.
Ijeoma*
Remote workers never really get off work. Endless hours, midnight meetings because of time zone differences, and if you work a regular 9-5, your schedules constantly clash. Plus, you can’t call them on a whim because they might be on a work call.
The upside? They’re usually at home or at their preferred workspace. That’s my dream life, but I’ll try to have structure so it doesn’t feel like we’re both always working.
Betty*
Be prepared to go on hunger strikes weekly. My boyfriend never talks about food unless I ask or when he’s starving. He’s always on his laptop, hopping from one Google Meet call to another. It’s so annoying.
I’ve stopped complaining. When I visit, I bring home-cooked meals or grab his phone to order something when I’m hungry.
Dami*
My favourite thing about dating a remote worker is the flexibility. For example, I went on leave last month and decided to spend two weeks in Abeokuta. I didn’t want to go alone, so I asked my boyfriend, who agreed to accompany me. You can’t do that with someone who works a regular 9-5 — they’d have to plan ahead and come up with an excuse to get time off.
Mariam*
Get ready for weird questions from nosy neighbours. When we moved to our new place, I left for work every morning before 9 a.m., while my husband worked from home. After two months, my landlady called me for a chat.
She asked if my husband didn’t have a job because it was strange that I left for work every day while he stayed home. I explained he worked from home, but she wanted to know what kind of job kept him indoors all the time. I tried to explain, but she didn’t get it. I’m sure she’s convinced he’s into internet fraud.
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