In the same way a person can quiet-quit a job they hate but can’t leave yet, they can also quiet-quit a relationship or marriage.

“Quiet-quitting is all about putting in the least amount of energy and effort in doing as little as possible to keep things running,” Suzanne Degges-White, a licensed counselor and professor at Northern Illinois University, told Business Insider.

In romantic partnerships, Degges-White said it can look like someone agreeing in their mind to stay married, but doing the absolute bare minimum to keep things amicable.

Partners can quiet-quit for all the same reasons they initiate breakups — they can feel unheard, bored, or that they’re just in the wrong relationship. But because of the “quiet” part, it’s not always easy to know when someone is politely checking out of the relationship.

Degges-White shared some common signs someone is quiet-quitting the relationship — whether they’re fully conscious of it or not.

1. They don’t crave intimacy with you

One of the biggest signs of quiet-quitting a relationship is no longer desiring intimacy, Degges-White said.

“It’s like you don’t want to be alone with this person,” she said of quiet-quitters. They may not want to hold your hand, snuggle during a movie, have sex, or say goodbye in the morning — whatever used to be their way of physically or emotionally connecting with you.

See Also:

Graphene can replace sand to make lighter, stronger concrete

2. They deliberately spend time apart from you

While sleeping in different beds and traveling apart can be signs of healthy independence within a relationship, too much space can be a sign your partner is trying to stay away from the reality of the relationship.

Degges-White said that a relationship quiet-quitter may “look for reasons to get involved in an activity that their partner’s not engaged in, just to spend time away.”

This could look like them prioritizing their friends every weekend and being out of the house most nights — without making any effort to reconnect when you’re both home.

Continue here: Business Insider