The Rules of Exclusive Dating: What You Need to Know

Exclusive dating is the step before a serious relationship. It's a big step and an important stepping stone to having a long-term commitment. It's a trial period where you get to know your partner better and decide if you're ready for a relationship. Candice Mostisser, a date coach for NYC Wingwoman LLC, a New York City-based date coaching service, explains that exclusive dating has its own rules and meaning, and often results in a different experience than that of a committed relationship.

If you want to go from dating to having a relationship, you must adhere to certain rules. Maya discovered the hard way that not communicating the basic rules can often end up jeopardizing the whole dynamic. If you're the diehard romantic type, you might be tempted to tell this person how much you “love” them right after a couple of dates. However, it's important to take your time and define the rules of exclusive dating before jumping into a relationship.

People who like to spend time together, but don't want a committed relationship could call their casual dates dynamic. He specializes in advising others on best practices and strategies for succeeding on first dates and in the online dating world. Dating can be especially confusing when you've been on several dates, you've met each other's friends, but you're still not sure what your position is because you haven't actually had a conversation about commitment. If you clearly define the rules of exclusive dating and make sure you're aware of what you can expect from this stage of a relationship's progress, many of these annoying annoyances can be eliminated, allowing you to focus on improving the quality of your connection.

There's no set real amount of time you should date before a relationship, it all depends on what the couple finds comfortable and what seems like a good amount of time for them. If in the unfortunate event that your exclusive relationship fails, you don't want your friends to constantly remind you of that person asking you for updates from time to time, since you spoke very highly of them. Exclusive dating is an important step before committing to a serious relationship and it's important to understand the rules and expectations before taking that step.