What Is It Like To Live Apart From Your Partner?

Moving together has long been seen as one of the most important steps in a relationship. In our society, sharing space, routines, and in some cases money and material things, is a sign that you have a solid relationship. But is living apart from your partner an option? Read on to find out!

More and more people today are choosing to drop the decision to live together. But that does not mean they are not a stable couple. It seems that the reason for this is that people are starting to enjoy living alone. That said, it’s not the only reason anyone can decide to make that choice.

According to recent studies, this is a widespread trend, at least in the Western world. In other words, it is not specific to a particular country or region. In fact, about 35% of people who live alone report that they are in a stable romantic relationship, but live separately from their partner.

These numbers do not differ much between men and women. Women make up only 1% more in this area. What seems crucial here is age. Although it may surprise you at first, it seems that older people are actually less affected by the social pressure to live with their partner.

Living apart, perspective on age

Among 51-year-olds and older people initiating new romantic relationships, only 22% reported that they had future plans to move in with their current partner. Most of them considered it very important to maintain the lifestyle as long as it does not affect the relationship.

Meanwhile, about half of people between the ages of 31 and 40 who are in stable relationships say they plan to try and live with their partners over the next two years. The younger couples view not living together in the beginning as a crucial part of the relationship. They also put working life and development before cohabitation.

What is the reason why people want to live apart from their partner?

It plays a big role if someone has lived with a partner before. Those who have had cohabitation in the past often prefer to live separately from their new partner.

Experience tells us that when each partner lives alone, they feel freer in the relationship. They have room to build friendships outside the boundaries of the relationship. They also feel less pressured when it comes to housework and shared finances.

Partners who live apart say that they like that they can have their privacy without losing a sense of intimacy with each other. Many of them also feel that it makes things much less intense in the event of a breakup.

Couples who are together for a long time

An interesting thing is that this new way of looking at relationships does not seem to have any influence on either the relationship or the duration of the relationship. A high percentage of people are still together after 12 years of living together.

It is also possible that the idea of ​​”finding a partner”, which was a great social pressure for previous generations, is starting to change. Everything seems to point to the idea that our notions of romantic relationships change in many ways in these times.

A new perspective on relationships

This new perspective on romantic relationships is still taking shape. But the people who experience it in real time say that it has given them a sense of freedom, both in terms of choice and the opportunity for personal and professional growth, compared to people in traditional marriages.

It is also worth mentioning that the concept of a relationship, or how we perceive one and what we think it is, is subjective. This means that many do not agree with this new perspective. In the end, it all depends on the particular bond and the specific partners.

Here’s something to think about: is this how we will see conditions in the future? Will living together be reserved for starting a family? Do we see the first clear difference between the desire to have a partner and the desire to have a family ?

The last question does not seem so far from the first question right now. The truth is that many people want to be in a long-term relationship, but without having a desire to start a family. There is no denying it: our society is undergoing some profound changes right now.