The single life can wear on someone when it seems like dating has become less enjoyable and more of a job. The concept of “burnout” normally is applied to work situations, but it’s very real for those trying to find love, too. Well-meaning friends might set you up on a billion blind dates, or your online dating service may be working overtime to match you up. Regardless, meeting all those people, particularly when a love connection rarely is made, gets frustrating. So how can you avoid burnout? First, if you sense that you’re not enthusiastic about going out, or the caliber of your dates is suffering, then take a break. Pursue other interests and hobbies in place of dating for a while. Another way to break burnout is to stop overanalyzing yourself. Easier said than done, right?

Well, if you just make it a rule to always be yourself on a date, then you’ll know you put your best, authentic self forward. When you find yourself searching for the best dating hotspots, best online dating service, most romantic restaurants, etc., you might be setting yourself up for burnout. Stick with one strategy or one service for a little while before jumping around to another one. Give that Web site a month or two instead of just a week to pay off, and you’ll find that a little patience goes a long way. Finally, try not to feel overwhelmed when it comes to dating. If the entire idea of meeting a new person stresses you out, take a step back. Enjoy the process – incorporate your own interests into your dates so that there’s a payoff for you as well. Perhaps you want to see a new museum exhibit or try a new restaurant – make it a date so that you’ll be guaranteed to be excited and probably enjoy the experience much more.