Imagine: you’re at home, in a restaurant, or out on date night with a boyfriend you adore. All of a sudden, he says or does something – and, out of nowhere, you get frustrated.
Has this scenario happened to you?
It may have happened to you more than once. In fact, if you’ve been getting annoyed at your boyfriend for no reason, you may be worried.
Well, the good news is, it’s a completely human emotion to be feeling; it happens to the best of us. Most of the time though, there is probably a reason why you’re getting annoyed – it just isn’t being brought to the front of your mind.
Keep reading to learn just what those reasons might be.
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1. You might be spending too much time together.
How much time are you spending with your partner? Do you live together? Think about it, and reflect on the amount of time you’ve recently spent together as a couple.
If you’re spending too much time together, you might actually get bored or easily irritated by your boyfriend as you run out of conversation.
Try limiting the amount of time you spend with your significant other, and choose to spend more time with yourself or friends instead.
2. You have thoughts about ending the relationship.
How smooth is the bond between you and your boyfriend? Are you in the honeymoon phase or have you been dating for a long time? You might want to reflect on how much you actually enjoy spending time with him.
If you’ve had any recent arguments, seem unhappy, or have had thoughts about leaving, this could be a reason why you’re getting annoyed easily. If you’re unsure, check out 15 signs to call it quits in a relationship.
3. You have high expectations.
Sometimes you might get irked by your other half if you judge yourself very easily. You might find yourself criticizing or finding ways to improve in certain areas.
Therefore you’re constantly trying to finetune your personality to be better. Sometimes, because you become so focused on yourself, it is then projected onto your boyfriend.
The low self-esteem and high expectations you have of yourself, you could be expecting from him. But the truth is, not everyone is the same. Examples could be that he tells you a joke that he finds hilarious, and you don’t.
4. You never put yourself first.
Sometimes, as humans, we can easily get caught up with putting others before ourselves. If we don’t pay enough attention to our feelings, actions, thoughts, or self-image, we can feel unsatisfied.
As a result, we tend to look for that feeling of satisfaction from others – including our partners. You may even overinvest yourself into making your boyfriend happy. However, no matter how nice or affectionate he is in return, you still may not feel happy.
5. They’re not fully present.
When you’re out with your boyfriend, you may be easily annoyed with him if you feel like he is not listening to you. Maybe he’s daydreaming or browsing through social media while you’re having a conversation. It can be irritating.
It may seem like they’re careless, and you might feel neglected. If this is a regular occurrence, point it out to your partner. Try to find a way to have date nights without your phones to make your conversation more engaging.
6. You’re a flirtatious person.
Apart from your boyfriend, how many people do you flirt with? Some studies show that humans tend to flirt with many people and have interpersonal relationships. This doesn’t mean you’re flirting with someone for sexual intent, and it could just be in a harmless, friendly manner.
However, if you’ve become so used to flirting with others, you may like the attention they give you and become easily annoyed if your boyfriend isn’t responding in the same way.
7. You might be suppressing an important issue.
Not all relationships are smooth sailing, and you might find yourself keeping something important to yourself. Perhaps you and your boyfriend have been arguing recently, or there’s something on your mind that’s been bothering you for a while.
Sometimes it can be hard to find the right moment to bring it up – and as a result, you could get irritated. When we feel we can’t be open or bring up important topics with our partner, we start finding fuel in little things to feed our frustrations.
8. You constantly think about their flaws.
If you’re unhappy in your relationship and focus on your partner’s bad habits, it may start to eat away at you when you meet them.
Suddenly one little thing can manifest into something highly irritating. In fact, the little flaws may seem to grow and can stop you from enjoying your partner’s company as you block out his other behaviors.
How to stop getting annoyed at your boyfriend
You may have some ideas about why you might be getting annoyed at your boyfriend for no reason. Keep reading to learn how to rectify this – and how to stop sabotaging your relationship.
Here are some tips to implement when you feel annoyed or can sense frustration building up inside:
Use The Sandwich Method
This method is extremely helpful once you’ve managed to pinpoint the actual reason why you’re getting annoyed:
- Give praise
- Give constructive feedback
- Praise again
For example, if you’re irritated by the way he eats, you might want to do the following:
Top layer (praise): “Oh babe, I am so grateful about the time you spent cooking this food! Your cooking is magnificent.”
Filling (constructive criticism): “Can I make a suggestion? Can you please close your mouth while you eat?”
Bottom layer (praise): “Thank you, babe. It’s no big deal, but it helps a lot. Love the food!”
The sandwich method can work with many things and works best when you apply it at the moment you get annoyed.
Speak To a Therapist
If you’re not sure why you’re so quick to get irritated by your partner, the reason could be more deep-rooted. An experienced professional like a therapist or counselor can help get to the root of the problem. They’ll teach you to identify your own thought patterns and help find the real underlying issue.
When you and your boyfriend talk to a counselor together, it may help you see things from his perspective – and he might be able to see situations from yours. Therapy can serve as an open space for you to express your frustrations without feeling like you’re hurting him.
You may want to carefully plan the time you spend together.
If your relationship has become a bit boring or you’ve found yourself doing a lot of the same activities, you might want to make some changes.
- Try being spontaneous.
- Do something really different when it comes to your next date night.
- Opt to see your friends more and your boyfriend less.
Remember, it’s you who knows yourself and your relationship best. Take time to figure out what the issue is, and address it. Otherwise, annoyance can turn into hatred – and that may spoil your time together.