It turns out the secret to finding love is not committing too soon. Some first dates may not lead to a commitment but others may leave you feeling a spark. When you feel like you’re on the track to relationship status, all too often your new love drops off. Here are a few reasons why dating more than one person at a time has its benefits.

Feel Liberated

Assume that the person you’re on a first date with, is on their fourth date this month. Which is the same as you. Don’t feel guilty that you’re dating more than one person. It also prevents you from being overly available, which in turn makes you more attractive. Make sure to be honest with them so you don’t feel sneaky.

Less Fret

While you’re simultaneously dating a girl or guy who is semi-perfect or just-okay, it gives you less time to focus your energy on one person and fret about why he or she hasn’t texted you back. Within the first few dates with one person you shouldn’t allow yourself to be so emotionally invested where it would be a problem to also be seeing someone else.

Weigh Your Options

Make a list of attributes you’re looking for in a significant other. This will help as you get to know each new just-okay date and he or she may turn into a semi-perfect. The list will also help if one of your love interests decides they don’t want to be attached any longer and it’ll be easier for you to let them go when you read back on the pros and cons.

Soul Search

Sometimes after a few great dates our imagination can run wild with fantasy future scenarios. When you aren’t putting all of your feelings into one person you can take a step back and ask “Do I really like this person? Do I want to be with them?” This keeps you from focusing too much on one person before it’s appropriate to do so.

Also be sure to check in with your matches to see how they’re viewing the relationship progress. Be upfront with each person about the fact that you’re seeing other people and if he or she isn’t okay with that, but you aren’t feeling ready to commit, let them down easy. It wasn’t meant to be anyways.

Dating multiple people takes a lot of the pressure off and can be fun. Think of it as potentially exciting evenings with beautiful strangers.

What advice do you have when dating more than one person?