I'm 31 and have spent the last five years focusing almost entirely on my career. It paid off professionally, I recently moved into a management role, my income is stable, and I finally feel financially comfortable. The downside is that I neglected my social life, and now I'm finding it difficult to build meaningful relationships. I've started exercising regularly, dressing better, and going to more social events instead of spending every evening working. I've had a few dates over the past several months, but I often feel like I'm either too career-focused or trying too hard to make up for lost time.

For those who have gone through something similar, how did you find a balance? Did you intentionally reduce your work hours, expand your social circle first, or simply keep dating until things became more natural? I'm interested in hearing experiences from people who were in a similar position rather than general dating advice.