Office Relationship Do’s and Don’ts

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There was a time when one’s work place was just that, a place to work. You would return home after a hard day to your wife/husband, your kids, your flat-mate or even your dog, take off that suit or skirt and blazer and transform back into you (or at least, the home version of you).  Your co-workers were people you talked to about business, went to meetings with or occasionally had a drink with after a long day at the office. And your wife/husband, kids, flat-mate and your dog were those you were intimate with, those who knew you on a personal level, those who would snuggle up next to you on the couch during a good movie. However, now more than ever the lines between work and home are becoming blurred as long hours and close quarters are spurring office liaisons.

Most advise to stay far away from involving in the sticky inter-office dating, and many companies often have a policy directly against the whole idea, but hasn’t it always been human nature to give into temptation (for more reading on the subject, please refer to the first few chapters of The Bible)?

So before biting into that apple, the following the guidelines should stand you in good stead and ensure your blossoming office romance doesn’t jeopardize your professional reputation.

DOs:

-DO exercise caution when making the first move. Instead of emailing, make a quick phone call suggesting a drink after work. If they say no, let it be. If they yes, chose a place far away from work where you won’t be seen.

-DO brush up on your company’s policy on relationships between co-workers. The last thing you need to do is get fired for making sultry-eyes at your gorgeous cube-mate!

-DO examine your potential mate before diving into a relationship. If you don’t like the way they act at work, you probably won’t like the way they act outside of the office.

-DO make sure it’s not just a fling: office relationships can be messy, especially if they end badly. Make sure you are both serious about starting the relationship for the right reasons and are not just looking for an outlet to relieve your boring day by going at it in the copy room.

-DO tell your boss first if your relationship becomes serious. Before gossiping to a fellow co-worker, make an appointment with your boss to tell her/him about the relationship so she/he doesn’t end up hearing about it through the office rumor mill.

-DO keep your co-workers in mind. It might make for an awkward work dynamic if your co-workers know you’re engaging in out-of-work activities with one of their kind.

-DO maintain personal relationships with friends and family outside of the office. If your relationship ends or you get fired, you will need support from outsiders.

-DO be prepared to resign. If your relationship is discovered and does not sit favorably with your boss and/or colleagues, or if it reaches a very serious level (i.e. you decided to tie the knot), be prepared to look for another job so others don’t accuse you of playing favorites.

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DONTs:

-DONT only think about the present. Remember that office break-ups don’t often end well. Whether or not your break-up ends amicably, you still have to see the person almost every day.

-DONT rush things. Remember you get to see each other almost every day and can casually get to know each other at work. Don’t feel you have to hop right in bed with each other.

-DONT bring the bedroom into the office, needless to say especially if your relationship is undercover. Remember that someone could always be watching (and could rat you out) whether it be a jealous co-worker or the cleaning lady.

-DONT spend company functions and business trips flirting or showing PDA. Although those events may seem more relaxed than a regular day in the office, acting like a couple could affect your potential for getting a raise, promotion, etc.

-DONT start arguments at work. As said above, keep your home-life and work-life separate (this includes bringing the fight you had over dinner last night into the office).

-DONT slack in your work ethic. Continue to work as hard as you did before your relationship started – you don’t want to have to make a choice between your co-worker or your career if you can at all help it.

­-DONT send emails during work.  Before sending that sexy email to your partner, remember that emails can potentially be read by anyone, including your boss! It’s very easy to slip up here, especially with Outlook having that ‘handy’ auto address selector.

-DONT ever date your boss or your assistant. Not only will it be a constant power struggle, but there are very few chances of it ending well.

Written by Tom Finnigan, an office worker and sadly single guy from the online recliner sofas experts.

Online Dating Reviews – We’ve Done The Research!

Virtual Love

Are you scratching your head over which online dating site to join? With so many to choose from, how do you narrow down your choices? Joining an online dating site is all about knowing which will likely give you the greatest chance to find “The One.” That calls for a little research.

According to a study by Match.com, one of the most popular online dating sites today, only two percent of men and nine percent of women found love while perched on a bar stool. With 40 million Americans currently using online dating services, and counting, and at least over half a million users who actually found some form of romance in 2010 via online dating, it’s not hard to figure out that these services are some of the most potent tools available for singles to zero in on the one they could swap “I Dos” with.

So, back to your question: How do you know which online dating site might work for you? We’ve done all the work, check out our reviews of the worlds best online dating services that are based on track records and cutting edge dating solutions.

eHarmony. Reputed to be the largest online dating site out there, eHarmony has users in more than 150 nations. What sets it apart from other dating sites is that it simply doesn’t let you choose whom to date based on users’ profiles; it actually helps you find potential compatible mates based on specially formulated matching algorithms. You list down details about yourself, and then eHarmony finds users with the same core traits. The site reportedly has 20 million registered users as of this writing, with 15,000 more signing up every day. It’s free to join, but if you want to enjoy its more unique features (voice calls, etc), you have to shell out $19.95 to $59.95 a month, depending on your membership plan.

Match.com. This is currently one of the elite online dating sites on the planet. With 15 million users, 600,000 of whom have reportedly found their match in 2010 alone, it’s surely worth investing time and money, don’t you think? Membership costs anywhere from $16.99 to $34.99 a month.

Perfectmatch.com. This online dating service uses the Duet total compatibility system which analyzes your personality, lifestyle, dating preferences, and financial details to find people who may be compatible to you. About 15 million people use Perfectmatch.com, with 10,000 new members signing up daily.

Matchmaker.com. Another highly popular online dating service, Matchmaker.com has 10 million registered users, and an estimated 600,000 sign up every week. This dating service is powered by Date.com, so joining Matchmaker.com also gives you access to millions of users of Date.com. Basic membership is free, while Gold membership (access to more advanced searches, etc.) costs $29.99 a month.

Catholicmatch.com. If you’re a Christian and would like to meet someone with the same beliefs as you do, you can never go wrong with Catholicmatch.com.  It boasts of 1 million members, with at least 15,000 new ones joining every month. Since it’s a Christian dating site, membership is limited to heterosexuals. Basic membership is free, while paid membership (private messaging capabilities, etc) costs $24.95 a month.

Christian Singles

About the author. Matt Fuller writes for various dating sites in Australia and has been involved with online dating Australia for more than a decade working as a matchmaking consultant. You can follow Matt’s updates here: https://twitter.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2F!/DatingSites9

 

A Fiasco-Proof Way For Single Parents to Find Dates

Single Parent Dating

Single people often complain about not finding enough quality men or women on the planet. You can just imagine how single parents must be feeling. Single parents often have all sorts of fears and hang-ups — bad experience with the ex, age and weight issues, awkwardness in intimate situations, feeling overwhelmed with motherhood/fatherhood.

If you are guilty of these self-sabotaging thoughts, it’s about time you changed your mantra if you hope to attract good people and situations to you. These nagging fears can become a chip on your shoulder, or as some call it, emotional baggage — a real turn off for potential dates. So, toss your fears into the garbage bin,  dust off your low self-esteem, and get into the dating scene.

But where do you start? First, you may want to enlist the help of cyberspace. There are a lot of single people on the Internet looking for love. Joining social networking and dating sites are just some of the ways you can meet new people. Social platforms such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, even YouTube have become an integral way of life, almost second nature for modern singles – just ask any young single guy or girl!

Mobile dating sites are also turning to be a popular vehicle among the lovelorn to find their soul mates. You may also join online communities or support groups for singles.  The idea is to market yourself (not really as bad as it sounds) on the Web as a single, attractive male or female looking for fun romance or a committed relationship.

Don’t limit yourself to the web and mobile dating avenues, however, also make yourself available in the real world. Who knows, the next person you will swap “I dos” with is just two blocks away from where you are now. Join clubs, attend parties and group dates, try to get to know as many people as you can.

No matter how lonely or desperate you get in finding someone to share your life (and household bills) with, don’t neglect your kids. Don’t miss school activities or events just so you can be with your date. It would be better to discuss these boundaries with your date from the get-go.

With all the psychos prowling around, make sure your date will not be a threat to your child’s safety before you take him home. Try to get to know him or her first in a public situation, and only bring your date home with you after he/she has passed this initial stage.

As the two of you become more involved with each other, your date might also want to develop a closer relationship with your kids.  Gradually ease your date into your family by letting him or her join family-oriented activities. A person who is comfortable around your kids definitely earns more brownie points.

 

Hi, and thanks for stopping by our single parent dating article. About the author. Matt Fuller works within various free dating sites and singles chat platforms providing matchmaking alternatives for singles who know how to have fun.

Online Dating: Profile Photo Tips

Christian Singles

Online dating sites give users the opportunity to meet new people from all over the world, not just those in a certain geographical area. Dating websites allow people to look through thousands of pictures and profiles of potential suitors. Often, people scroll through each page looking at pictures first. If they like your picture, they may take the time to read your profile. So essentially, your picture is the most important thing. In order to increase your love matches, you must be sure that your photo is the best that it can be.

Facial Expression

We have all seen profile photos that make people look unappealing. You have to remember that these online photos are the only things on which your looks are judged. You want to look your best. Facial expression can turn even the most attractive face into something monstrous. You’ll definitely get more dates with a smile than you would with a scowl. Some men post pictures of themselves with a tough-guy expression on their face. This approach might work for some of them, but others wind up looking like a weirdo or a serial killer, and the majority of women will scroll right past.

Glasses

People who wear glasses in their profile photo should take the time to make sure they don’t have a glare. A glare can distract the viewer’s eye, distort the picture, or both. Instead of snapping a picture with your camera phone, have someone else take your photo so that they can tell you which way to tilt your glasses to avoid glaring.  Also, be sure that your eyeglasses are not too outdated.  You don’t want to appear older than you are simply due to a pair of unstylish frames.

Overtly Sexual Photos

These types of photos generally attract the wrong people for the wrong reasons.  If you are looking for a meaningful relationship, then you should go for subtle photos. Try to post at least one headshot and one full-body picture.

Ask a Friend

The way we see ourselves is not always the way in which others view us. You may like a particular picture of yourself, but the majority of other people might prefer a different one. Before uploading any photos online, ask friends or family members for their advice. Be sure to ask several people to get a general consensus about what looks best.

Take a few minutes to look online, and find examples of appealing photos. Take note of the facial expressions and poses. The best photos are those where the subject is smiling at the camera, and subjects wearing glasses or sunglasses have tilted them to avoid glaring.

Sara Roberts writes for Just Eyewear, a discount eyeglasses and prescription sunglasses online retailer.

How to Win More Friends and Influence People – Dating Tips

Party Night

Ever noticed the ‘natural leaders’ and decision makers at the office? What’s their common denominator? Simple. Their level of self-confidence is quite high.

People with a high level of confidence are often referred to as the ‘Alphas’ (derived from the alpha male behavior of male dominant animals in herds). These alpha personalities generally attract a lot of attention from the opposite sex. Females are instinctively attracted to alphas because of their dominant behavior in important aspects such as decision making and being natural leaders.

Another way of putting it is that these alphas have developed their self-esteem to a point where their aura and happiness output is very influential to others. Their self-assurance makes them natural magnets for other singles, especially those seeking life partners.

In truth, there is nothing really scientific or biological in building up your own self-confidence. As the saying goes, it’s all in the mind. You can build up your self-esteem by simply believing in your own abilities, no matter how big or small or even limited. Just because you’re a carpenter doesn’t mean you can’t have as much confidence as a business executive. Building cabinets and houses is a whole different ball game from sitting at a desk in front of a PC all day.

Study and analyse the good qualities of famous or successful people and you will see that, like you, they had to start from scratch in terms of character building. But, once they got rolling, nothing in the world could stop them. Use this as your inspiration and launching pad.

One method that always works is to dress right and dress for success. Everyone looks up to people who dress right because dressing well exudes confidence. Present yourself with dignity and confidence and soon you will see that the people around you will respond in kind. Show yourself as a positive individual who knows what direction to take in life, especially at work.

If you are not sure about your wardrobe, ask advice from a fashion guru (better for you if he or she is your friend) or from successful family and friends. Let their success and dress code rub off on you.

And while you are developing your wardrobe and building up your confidence, you can start searching for other singles online, the online dating scene is a terrific outlet to a huge pool of single people where you can practice exuding your improved confidence level.

Regardless you prefer to take your love hunt offline or online the same principles apply, success in meeting new people comes down to self image and self confidence and only you have the power to make it happen. So get out there and start being proactive.

Christian Singles

Matt Fuller is a contributing writer for various dating sites in Australia. Matt has been working within the online dating and matchmaking sector for ten years and is pleased to share this article.

How To Woo And Seduce A Woman

Christian Singles

How to seduce a woman? It can be quite a challenge, considering women are complicated creatures. However, by following the right steps (and paying close attention to her responses), you won’t have to rely on good looks alone to interest the female gender. Though it helps!

The first thing you must have is confidence. If you cannot see your attractive traits, why would she? Women like confident men who are unafraid and can deal with rejection. It is a common belief that women are attracted to “bad boys” over good guys, but this is not completely true. Women are attracted to the confidence most of those bad boys exude.

Next, talk with her. Appeal to her intellect while helping her enjoy the conversation, as well. Making a woman laugh is key to seduction. However, do not insult her, or anything she enjoys or defends. This will be an instant turn-off. Find out what she is interested in, and try to steer the conversation towards that.

Another crucial step is complimenting her. Every woman enjoys being complimented, but be sincere in your compliments. If you are phony or false in any of your compliments, she will know, and will not respond well. Find something unique about her, and tell her how much you love it. It could be her eyes, her hair, her lips, or pretty much anything. She will see you are being sincere, and she will be flattered and feel appreciated.

Physical contact is also important. Just holding her hand or placing your hand on the small of her back will trigger her passion. When done correctly, physically touching a woman lets her know you’re interested in her for more than a casual friendship.
It does not take anything learn how to seduce a woman. Just follow the guidelines stated above, and you will have appealed to both her mind and body.