I despise receiving late-night or early-morning texts from guys as it disrupts my sleep. It's frustrating! There was a guy I was interested in who constantly did this, which annoyed me to no end, prompting me to eventually stop responding to him.

1. It was like he didn't exist from 10 p.m. onwards

I established a strict guideline of not responding to his texts after 10 pm. I was willing to reply during the day, but after that time, I'd turn off my phone, just like Cinderella leaving her phone at the ball. This rule was absolute and to ensure I adhered to it, I'd turn off my phone to avoid any temptation to check for messages.

2. It was tough at first

Initially, I had some concerns. What if he needed to reach me urgently? Would he consider me impolite? However, let's be realistic, in a crisis, he could easily contact someone else. Besides, a woman has every right to turn off her phone and rest peacefully without any disturbance. So, if he thought I was being rude, it wasn't justified.

3. I was so used to being super available to guys

That was precisely the issue. Previously, whenever guys texted me, even on a workday's early hours, I'd respond, even if I was exhausted. It seemed like I was available 24/7, and it was getting overwhelming. It had become too much, and I had grown weary of it.

4. I paid the price for my over availability

Maintaining constant availability is tiring. Engaging in late-night texting sessions with guys would result in me losing out on significant beauty sleep, making me feel like a zombie at work the next day. These guys, on the other hand, would typically have a day off or a late start to work, so it wouldn't affect them. Clearly, it wasn't worth jeopardizing my well-being and compromising on rest for a trivial conversation.

5. The guy didn't catch the hint at first

Once I established my "no texts after 10 p.m." rule with the new guy, I was curious to see if he would adhere to it. Initially, he didn't, and I received messages like "Are you still up?" I detested those messages because once I was up and keen on talking, the guys would abruptly end the conversation, leaving me frustrated and feeling like my time was wasted. It was extremely vexing.

6. I don't want to feel like someone's backup woman

I dislike late-night chats with guys because I never feel like their priority. I feel like I'm just someone they turn to when they're bored, the night is over, and they're alone in bed looking for someone to send nude selfies to. By not being available for these conversations, I wanted to convey to this guy that I wasn't just a casual fling.

7. I worried he wasn't looking for anything serious

I was concerned that he was only texting me late at night instead of during the day, indicating that he wasn't interested in anything serious. I wasn't going to let him think that he could make minimal effort to communicate with me. I want someone who genuinely shows that they're into me!

8. What next without text?

On the third night of my texting ban, the guy ceased texting me altogether. I woke up to no messages from him. Initially, I was concerned that he was getting disinterested or assumed that I wasn't interested due to my ignoring him late at night. However, I reminded myself that if he was going to lose interest so soon, it said more about him than me. I was curious to see what he would do next, and I was in for a surprise.

9. He stepped up his efforts

Rather than disappearing, the guy began texting me during more suitable hours in the day. It was wonderful! He didn't mind that I wasn't available late at night, and he recognized that I was enthusiastic about conversing with him earlier in the day. This indicated to me that he understood that I was interested in him.

10. I wasn't playing games

My intention behind enforcing the late-night texting rule wasn't to control the guy, but to communicate my seriousness about finding something genuine. And it proved to be effective! I suppose the saying is true: you teach people how to treat you - or in this situation, how to date you!

11. He made me realize that he was serious

As I was demonstrating my sincerity, his actions conveyed to me that he was also seeking a genuine connection. We synchronized our texting habits and compromised to give ourselves a better chance at something significant, which is precisely what we found.