What hours without texting on weekdays really means

Weekdays are different from evenings and weekends. A guy with a real job may be in meetings, on calls, or in an environment where his phone is off limits. If he's messaging you quickly at 6pm or after work but goes quiet at 2pm, that's his schedule, not his feelings.

The pattern matters more than one gap. One day of slow replies could mean anything. Three or four days in a row of hours between texts signals he's either swamped or he's deprioritizing you. Pay attention to whether the gap closes on evenings and weekends. If he's quick to reply after 5pm, he's probably just busy during work. If he's slow all day, every day, that's different.

When he's in work mode, a generic 'what's up' message competes with actual work. He doesn't need to answer it right now. But a message that makes him smile or intrigues him becomes worth a quick 30-second reply.

This means being specific. Reference something he told you. Ask him something about his day that shows you were listening. Keep it light and short so it's easy to answer during a work break. The goal is to make replying to you feel like a little bright spot, not like a conversation obligation. If you do this, he'll be more likely to text back fast even when work is crazy.

If he doesn't reply to a weekday morning or afternoon message, don't send a second one. Texting him again before 6pm just piles on the pressure. Wait until evening when he's out of work mode and has mental space to engage.

If you get silence all day and all evening, you have a choice. Send one follow-up message the next day, something low pressure that doesn't ask why he went quiet. If you still get nothing or short replies for three days straight, pull back. Stop initiating for a few days. If he comes back, he was just busy. If he doesn't, you have your answer.