When you're ready to shut down for awhile...

Okay, you've done well. You've met a great woman, and you're ready to make it an exclusive relationship.

How do you manage the people on your list?

I put them on hold, with the reason, "I'm persuing another relationship for now, but I may want to communicate more later."

Why?

Because the woman, at that point, has two options:

• She can leave you on hold. And you can reopen her if things don't work out.
• She can close you for putting her on hold. And you can send her a final message asking her to consider reopening you when (and if) things don't work out.

So, no matter what, you have a way to reach her in order to establish further communication (if she wants to, and she's able.)

I have to admit - your odds aren't good here. By the time you try reopening her, she'll probably have left eHarmony in disgust, or with another guy.

But your odds aren't zero. And I have reestablished communication with people in the past when I've done this.