Let&rsquo;s be honest&ndash;spending more than 40 hours a week in the same space with someone can do things to your brain.&nbsp;
We spend a huge chunk of our lives at work&mdash;unfortunately. And we&rsquo;re constantly surrounded by the same people, day in and day out. Wala tayong choice kundi makisama at makihalubilo sa kanila. It&rsquo;s natural to build connections with our teammates. Sooner or later, when the connection has been established, we start to laugh at inside jokes, bond over stressful deadlines, and share daily little wins like finally fixing that stubborn air conditioning unit when the summer heat wave hits. Some even share guilty pleasures: karaoke while drinking? G! Yosi sa baba? Sure! Overbreak? Just don&rsquo;t tell the boss!
But sometimes, in moments where you expect it the least, those friendly work interactions start feeling a little... different.
Even if you&rsquo;re in a happy relationship, you might find yourself drawn to a coworker in ways you never imagined. You&rsquo;ll feel like a deer in the headlights when the realization hits you. And it&rsquo;s not that you&rsquo;re actively looking for a new love interest. It just kind of happens.
Welcome to the Work Crush Phenomenon.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s a thing, and you&rsquo;re not alone. Here are the top three signs that your harmless office crush might be turning into something more:
1. You Look Forward to Seeing Them&mdash;A Little Too Much
Sure, work is work, but suddenly, it doesn&rsquo;t seem so bad when you know they&rsquo;ll be there. Maybe you find yourself lingering by their desk for no real reason, hoping they&rsquo;ll crack a joke or smile your way. You&rsquo;re way too invested in their weekend plans, and if they&rsquo;re out sick, the office feels empty.
Be honest&mdash;do you put in extra effort on days you know you&rsquo;ll be working closely together? If so, that&rsquo;s a clue.
2. They&rsquo;re the First Person You Want to Share News With
Got a big win at work? You tell them first. Annoyed by something? You vent to them before your actual partner. You might even find yourself texting them outside of work just to share a meme or &ldquo;accidentally&rdquo; continuing conversations from earlier in the day. When someone starts feeling like your go-to person, that emotional closeness can become the foundation for something more.
3. You Catch Yourself Comparing Them to Your Partner
Uh-oh. If you&rsquo;ve started noticing all the ways your workmate is more attentive, funny, or understanding than your significant other, that&rsquo;s a big sign your feelings are deepening. Maybe you even get a little annoyed when your partner doesn&rsquo;t &ldquo;get&rdquo; something the way your coworker does. Emotional comparisons like these can be a slippery slope, so it&rsquo;s worth recognizing them before they turn into a full-blown emotional affair.
So, what now?
A work crush doesn&rsquo;t automatically mean you&rsquo;re doomed or that your relationship is in trouble. It just means you&rsquo;re human. The key is being aware of your emotions and setting boundaries before things get too complicated. If your feelings persist, it might be worth evaluating what&rsquo;s missing in your current relationship that makes this coworker feel so appealing.
Feelings come and go. But the choices you make? Those define the outcome.
So, are you just work besties, or is there something more? That&rsquo;s for you to decide.