My partner is a workaholic and it's the best relationship I've had

I'm a girl in my early 20s, navigating the daily grind of a 9 to 5 job with a fixed routine. I'm hustling away from Monday to Friday, counting down the days to the weekend like it's my lifeline. But amid the monotony of my hectic work week is a constant anticipation—the precious moments I get to spend with my boyfriend. Unfortunately, my beau isn't your typical nine-to-fiver. No, he works in the film industry, managing movie sets, where time seems to have a mind of its own. His shifts, like a marathon, often stretch to 12, 16, or even 20 hours, leaving my weekends off-kilter and my weekdays yearning for his company.

Yet, despite the chaos of our conflicting schedules and the occasional overseas shoots that whisk him away for months on end, we somehow manage to make it work. Five years strong, our relationship has weathered the storms of distance and time, emerging stronger with each passing day. You see, his career isn't just a job—it's a passion that fills his life with purpose and determination. And while some may see his workaholic tendencies as a hindrance to our relationship, I see it as his dedication towards building us a stable and secure future. 

One of our favourite things to do, when we’re together, is watch movies. And Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is among our favourites. In the film, Hrithik Roshan's character, Arjun, struggles with balancing his work and life, much like my boyfriend. Arjun's obsession with work cost him many relationships, and his ex-girlfriend's poignant reminder that your work is not your whole life, just a part of it, resonated deeply with me.

But here's the thing, unlike Arjun—whose obsession with work borders on toxicity—my partner's relationship with his craft is anything but. While the parallels between their struggles are identical, my boyfriend's dedication to his work does not come at the expense of our relationship. It is simply a source of inspiration, a drive that fuels our journey together. His commitment to his craft amazes me, knowing well that it's all in pursuit of building a better future for us both.

On those lazy mornings, when I'm fighting the urge to hit the snooze button, the image of my boyfriend hustling for our future pops into my head like a motivational meme. Growing up, I've always had a safety net thanks to my dad. But my boyfriend's relentless drive rubbed off on me, inspiring me to become more independent; to become a go-getter with dreams to chase.

We both maintain our individuality without hampering our connection

We each have our own set of friends. Since I spend most of my time at the office and he's (almost) always on a film set, we tend to hang out in different social circles. Nevertheless, we've found a way to balance our individual lives whilst ensuring that the bond we share, remains sacred and exclusive. 

The effort we put into making time for each other feels special

Between my work and his unpredictable schedule, making plans together is never easy; and him living 20 km away from my place does not help either. But knowing the effort each of us puts in to meet the other—travelling an hour and changing our schedules—only makes our meetings that much more special. After all, it's the effort that matters above all else.

We resolve conflicts easily 

Dealing with conflicts in our relationship is like tackling a speed bump on the highway—we address it and move on. Given our busy schedules, we simply can't afford to waste any time on petty disagreements. Sure, insecurities and tensions crop up from time to time, but we've perfected our conflict-resolution skills through the art of communication—promptly addressing issues and finding solutions.

After battling the corporate jungle all day or managing an entire movie set with a hundred people, all we want to do is talk to each other. Whether it's over a phone call or face-to-face, we eagerly anticipate sharing our highs and lows, knowing that we'll find comfort and understanding in one another. We are each other's home, the place where we can be ourselves without any judgment or reservation.

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