Easy ways to avoid infidelity in your relationship - Figure out why you want to cheat in the first place

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Avoid "lies for good" - Any distortion of truth that you've convinced yourself is better for the relationship—whether that's hiding that you ran into an old flame of yours or had a "friendly" drink with someone who you feel attracted to—could easily manifest into something bad. If you have nothing to hide, why hide it?

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Be honest with each other - When you get used to lying to your partner, about anything, it makes it much easier to cheat.

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Accept the fact that you'll be attracted to other people - In any relationship, no matter how long it is, there will be attraction to other people—you're only human! Instead of denying it and making it stronger, however, it's better to nip it in the bud.

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Delete all dating apps - Dating apps and online services can be addictive, and they can instill an unshakable feeling that the grass is greener on the other side. You don't need any of that now that you're in a relationship, so delete them!

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Spice things up in the bedroom - People tend to cheat when they are bored of the same old routine and want something new, but taking things to a new level in bed with someone you already know intimately can be infinitely more rewarding than starting all over with someone new.

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Stay intimate in other ways - Physical contact in a strong relationship involves more than just sex, and should include things like stroking hair, massaging, holding hands, and little touches here and there even just as you pass by. This is almost like wiring yourselves to each other's biology, learning to seek out and respond to one another instead of looking elsewhere.

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Remember that most people are bad in bed - Most of the sex outside of your relationship is not worth having anyway, and while the newness might be exciting, it will never measure up to someone you share a real connection with, someone who knows what makes you… tick.

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Don't compete with your partner - If you see your partner flirting with other people, instead of trying to outdo or one-up them, tell them how you feel. If you're in a relationship that's recovering from infidelity, sleeping with someone else might seem like a way to level things out, but it actually just lowers the level of trust between you once again.

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Stop lying to yourself - If you just so happen to find yourself coincidentally grabbing a drink at the same time as someone you're attracted to, every day, maybe that "innocent" flirting isn't so innocent.

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Avoid drinking too much around people you are attracted to - Like any throbbing hangover, drinking too much is a slippery slope to a pool of regret. Don't put yourself in a situation where people have famously made big mistakes time and again!

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Take your partner with you - If you're going to a party or any situation that poses a slight threat to your relationship, bring your partner along. They'll feel included and desired, which is good for your relationship, and other people will know you're in a relationship and they'll back off. Plus, you're less likely to do anything stupid!

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If you live together, invest in your home - By making your home a space where you want to spend more time, you're less likely to stay out at work or to out for dinner/drinks, and therefore less likely to face temptation.

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What if it's about to happen? - Say you're already in a bedroom with someone wildly sexy. You might think you've gone too far and it's all over now anyway, but yank yourself away for a minute. Go to the bathroom or go out for some air and diffuse the steaming moment so you don't get caught up in it. Cheating isn't inevitable!

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Visualize losing the person you're with - Get into a habit of thinking about why it is you love your partner and what they mean to you, then think logically about whether hooking up with someone else for one night is worth the possibility of losing what could be years of happiness.

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Learn self-control - If you're someone who can't resist a tasty snack, or if you more often press snooze than get up to exercise, it's likely that it will also be difficult to resist sexual temptations. Start with small ways of disciplining yourself then work your way up, and you'll be much better equipped to handle it—plus you'll be much more fit and your partner won't be able to take their hands off you!

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Let go of those old faithful bed buddies - Delete the Facebook friends and phone numbers of people who message you, or who you used to message, late at night. You're allowed to be friendly with your exes, but if they keep asking you to come out for a drink, delete and block!

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Accept that you are no longer single - Perhaps you're struggling because you've lived a "free" life until then, accountable to no one and able to come and go as you please. Being in a relationship means taking on a responsibility to someone else, and it entails sacrifice and compromise. There are infinite advantages to being in a relationship, but you won't appreciate them unless you fully commit to the lifestyle.

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Don't hide your relationship - You don't have to be annoying about it, but you should feel comfortable with splashing your relationship over social media and bringing your partner up in conversation when they're not there. People will (hopefully) get the sign that you're not looking for temptation. Wearing your ring can also help give people a heads up to your relationship status. 

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Never say "but" when rejecting someone's advances - If someone's coming onto you, save both you and them the trouble of deciphering your desires by avoiding saying something to cushion the seeming blow. For example, don't say, "You're really attractive (or: I really like you) but I'm taken/seeing someone/married etc." Don't leave any room for doubt or hope.

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Figure out why you want to cheat - Feeling tempted to cheat in the first place could be indicative of something gone wrong in your relationship. Take a step back and figure out what's missing, and don't forget to communicate it to your partner.

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Learn your triggers - Perhaps you've cheated before and it was always when your partner canceled plans on you. Take that knowledge and bring it into this relationship right away, i.e. communicate your need for reliability.

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Use all that pent-up energy on your s/o - If you have the time and energy to get yourself into sticky situations, you definitely aren't putting your time and energy where it should be: in your relationship. Romantic love differs from other kinds of love because it requires passion, and passion takes work. If you're not putting work into your relationship, you should do your partner a favor and end things now.

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Ask yourself a question - Are you subconsciously trying to find a way to end things? There are some telltale physical signs that you should pay attention to.

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Focus on the positives - The secrets to long-lasting relationships are equally as helpful as tips to stay faithful, and the best thing is that they're all things with which you're probably already familiar.

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Make plans for the future - When you get into a routine of making short- and long-term plans with your partner, you'll have more at stake and more to grapple with when you're faced with potential infidelity. A crucial part of making plans, however, is also the follow-through.

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Just don't do it! - Insane concept, right? No matter how many excuses you can come up with, you're the only one in control of your actions and decisions.

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If all else fails, try an open relationship -

If cheating is a constant problem for you, maybe you should try something new, like talking to your partner about seeing other people at the same time. Polyamory is also becoming a more popular option these days as it allows you to have that same shared knowledge, consent, and closeness as a monogamous relationship, but with more people.

See also: Everything you want to know about polyamorous relationships

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