Dating should be fun and exciting. The thrill of getting to know someone that you find attractive ought to be an exhilarating experience, otherwise why bother? Whilst we're all busy people, if not somewhat egotistical and complacent at times, this results in picking up bad dating habits. However, if you're in the market to find a partner, here are 10 dating habits that you need to avoid:

Being stuck in the virtual world - With so much of our lives happening online, where we meet and greet friends through social media, stay in touch via instant messaging etc sometimes it's easy to get stuck in this rut of ‘virtual' communication. However, when it comes to dating the longer you stay in the virtual world, the less likely you're going to meet in the real world.

Lack of Communication - You can't really get to know someone, or attain their interest without being proactive and opening up the lines of communication beyond the odd text here and there.

Game Playing - Just to clarify there is a difference between playing games and ‘the chase'. The former is premeditated to manipulate someone, whereas the latter is about building desire through flirting and being mysterious. Make sure you don't take ‘treat them mean, keep them keen' too far that instead you end up with ‘treat them mean, there nowhere to be seen!'

Dropping Momentum - You connect and have a great first, or few dates and then you drop the ball because life becomes busy, or you become lazy. If you've been in the dating game a while, you already know how challenging it is to meet people that (a) you connect with and (b) you find attractive, so why an earth would you not want to explore this opportunity?

Neediness - Definitely one of the biggest turn offs for both genders. Your happiness and emotional wellbeing are solely your responsibility. It's therefore important to nurture yourself from within, rather than seeking this from someone with whom you want a relationship.

Bringing in Baggage - Would you like to be judged based on your gender, or the wrongdoings of someone else? Probably not, so be mindful that you do not have preconceived ideas about a prospective date that you're judging them before you've even given them a chance.
   
Cancelling Dates - When people are seeking relationships they want someone who has time to date and can demonstrate reliability. If you're constantly cancelling and rescheduling dates, let's be honest it doesn't make for a good impression and you're going to be out of the race without even competing.

Never Satisfied - The truth is that there's always going to be a better car, a better house or a better job but at some point you've got to make a decision balanced upon what you want and what is realistically attainable. Furthermore, if you constantly have one foot in and one foot out of the door, you're never going to make any real progress in your relationships.

Last Minute Plans - Don't treat your date like your mate. With your friends you can make plans off the cuff and leave things to the last minute but your date is not your mate. You have no idea about their schedule, commitments etc so be respectful & mindful to plan in advance, otherwise you may find yourself spending more evenings with your mates rather than going on dates.

Bad Conversationalist & Listener - The purpose of a date is to mutually exchange information and listen to ascertain whether there is a connection. Yet, so many people get this wrong, from hijacking the conversation and not asking the other person questions, to constantly interrupting and not listening when the other person is speaking. Be mindful.

I'm sure that as you were reading this article, you probably thought of a few bad dating habits yourself. Please feel free to add them in the comments section below. After all, if we don't recognise it as being broken, how can we fix it?