Being called high maintenance can be a unique type of dig at one’s personality. But what does it really mean? To understand whether a person is viewed as “high” or “low” maintenance, you need to look at the following three areas: Physicality, Emotions, and Finances.
Relationship experts describe a “low” maintenance person as one who seeks the bare essentials in life. Whereas a “high” maintenance person will seek to put in extra time to pull a look together or discover the latest hotspots.
Here a few of the signs you can tell is you fall into the category of a “high” or “low” maintenance person:
Physical Style
- Does it take you longer than 20 minutes to get dressed for an event?
- Do you prefer a fashionista or minimalist style?
- How often do you need to get your hair and nails professionally done?
- Do you avoid getting into the water in the summer for fear of ruining your hair and makeup?
- Do you wear flipflops or kitten heels to the pool?
- When you wear makeup (if you do), do you feel the need to check to see if you need to change or reapply every 30 minutes or so?
- Have people seen you without makeup on, or know what your natural hair color is?
- Must you always dress for the location and the event?
- Do special events require multiple wardrobe changes?
- Do dry cleaners, cobblers, seamstresses, trainers, and beauticians and merchants all know you on a first name basis because you see them at least once a week?
If so, you might be HIGH maintenance!
Emotional Aptitude
- Are you comfortable seeing your partner get a phone call and not ask who is calling?
- Can you go day and not get a compliment and feel okay about yourself?
- Do you care what people really think about your style?
- Can you be comfortable with just a Netflix and Chill with takeout type of date?
- Can you handle being teased about that weird hair on your back or that zit on your butt?
- Do you feel comfortable with your partner looking at other people or spending time alone with their friends?
- Are you comfortable if your partner doesn’t return your call or text within 15 minutes of your reaching out to them?
If so, you might be LOW maintenance!
Financial Savvy
Consider the car you drive and if you need it to express an image of yourself to society
- Are you spender or a saver?
- Do you need to have the latest technology or fashion or are you content with items you view as reliable?
- Do you eat at diners? If so, is it for the quality of the meal, the location, or because it’s currently trendy?
- Do you feel comfortable paying for items yourself or you do feel compelled to be a “Sugar Baby”?
- Do you feel comfortable to balance your finances monthly or do you feel confident that someone will support a potentially lavish lifestyle for you?
- Do you shop at Goodwill or Saks?
- You do feel in competition to outdo a “friend’s” previous event?
- Do you prefer camping, glamping or 5-star hotels?
- Does your house feel “lived-in” or something straight out of Architectural Digest magazine?
- Are you happy to be surprised by a gift, or you buy a present for someone to “gift” to you?
How you answer these questions will provide vital insight into whether or not you are “High” or “Low” maintenance!
Do you shop at Goodwill or Saks? Really? I think I fall into the category of ‘I shop wherever there’s a sale’. This article is trying too hard to categorize us into neat little boxes. People are way more complex than just ‘high’ or ‘low’ maintenance!
This was an enlightening read. The distinctions between high and low maintenance in terms of physical style, emotional aptitude, and financial savvy are well articulated. The self-assessment questions are particularly useful.
The article provides a thorough breakdown of what it means to be high or low maintenance. It’s interesting how it categorizes aspects into physicality, emotions, and finances. This holistic approach gives a comprehensive understanding of the term.
It’s interesting to note the psychological and social implications of being labeled as ‘high’ or ‘low’ maintenance. These distinctions can significantly affect interpersonal dynamics and self-perception. The categorizations here are very well explained.
I appreciate the detailed analysis of different aspects that define high and low maintenance individuals. The questions posed are quite revealing and made me reflect on my own habits and behaviors.
Oh great, another piece trying to box people into stereotypes. Who cares if someone takes 30 minutes to do their makeup or likes fancy dinners? It doesn’t make them ‘high maintenance’, just different. Let people be!
So according to this article, if I don’t freak out if my partner doesn’t text back in 15 minutes, I’m ‘low maintenance’? Seriously? This is just another way to shame people for having standards and preferences. Good job.
This article is incredibly insightful. It’s fascinating how our preferences and behaviors in these three areas can reveal so much about our personality and maintenance level. Certainly makes one reflect on their own habits and relationships.
The categorization within the article is quite methodical. I never realized how many dimensions there are to being considered high or low maintenance. The questions provided can serve as a good self-check mechanism.
The structure of the article is impressive. By breaking down the characteristics into physical, emotional, and financial domains, it allows for a nuanced view of maintenance levels. The practical examples make the concepts easy to grasp.
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