24EN Editor's Note：U.S. government data reveals that up to 44% of the U.S. workforceis single -- and it may be because of work. Here are four reasons why your job might be keeping you single and what to do about it.
美国政府公布的数据显示有接近44%的职场人士是单身，而单身的原因很有可能是工作。以下列举了工作可能造成单身的四点原因以及应对措施：
1. "I don't have time to date."
我没时间去约会。
Many people who are single say their jobs don't leave them with enough time to meet Mr. or Mrs. Right. You may have made a conscious decision to make career your No. 1 priority. Or it may be that pursuing your dream job is easier than pursuing your dream partner. Whatever the reason, dedicating too much of your time and energy to your career will cause your dating life to flounder.
很多单身的人都说自己的工作忙得没有足够的时间去认识真命天子。你可能下意识的将工作当成第一优先事项。也可能是因为找到梦想中的工作比找到梦中情人更容易。不管理由如何，如果你在工作中花费太多的时间和精力的话，就会使得你的约会生活毫无进展。
Solution: Make dating your work. Approach your social life with the same determination and commitment you apply to your career. You wouldn't expect to get ahead at work if you didn't put in the time. Make an investment in your coupled future by setting dating goals, like committing a certain number of hours a week to dating.
解决之道：将约会当成工作。将你在工作中的决心和果断同样应用到你的社交生活中。在工作中如果不花时间的话就无法取得进步。设立约会的目标，为未来的二人世界投资。
2. "My boss knows I'm single and singles me out."
上司因为知道我单身给了我很多工作任务，搞得我一直单身。
Singles are often expected to work late, travel for business, and take on last minute assignments because they don't have "family commitments." For example, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell stated last year that the choice of Janet Napolitano as Homeland Security Secretary was an excellentone because she has "no family and no life" and could devote 19-20 hours a day to the job.
上司通常会因为单身的员工没有家庭负担，而期望他们工作到更晚、出差、承担最后一分钟的任务。比如，宾夕法尼亚州的州长Ed Rendell声称，Janet Napolitano作为国家安全部长是一个非常明智的选择，因为她没有家庭生活，每天可以工作19-20小时。
Solution: Value your dating commitments. If your boss asks you to work late, you don't always have to say "yes." Saying that you already have plans is an acceptable excuse. It's great to be able to put in the hours to get ahead at work, but make sure that you're not allowing work to get in the way of your other life goals.
解决之道：重视约会承诺。如果上司叫你加班，你不必每次都答应。告诉上司你已经有安排了，这个是很正当的拒绝理由。在工作中投入更多的时间让自己遥遥领先固然好，但是要确保你没有让工作挡住了你实现生活目标的道路。
3. "Everyone I know is taken/married/coupled up." 更多信息请访问：http://www.idenglish.cn/
我认识的每个人都名花有主/结婚了。
While this may not seem to be a job-related issue, it could be. Statistics show that nearly half of all married couples met at work. So you're at a disadvantage if your work doesn't provide you with opportunities to meet and hang out with other singles.
这点看起来和工作无关，但实际上是有关系的。数据显示差不多有一半以上的结婚夫妇是在工作上认识的。所以，如果工作让你无法认识其他单身人士，更没办法和他们约会的话，你就处于不利的地位。
Solution: Create your own dating pool. Branch out and try different approaches to meeting other singles. Join a local group/club, attend a different restaurant/bar, or join 40 million Americans using online dating and social networking sites to meet available singles.
解决之道：建立自己的交际圈。拓展你的交际圈，试试用不同的方法去认识其他单身人士。加入一家当地的团体或俱乐部，去不同的餐馆/酒吧，或利用在线约会或网上的社交网站去认识不错的单身人士。
Going back to school can help you advance your career and give you a chance to interact with like-minded people. Use the free education-decision test to find out if going back to school is the right move for you.
重回学校深造不仅可以帮助你事业取得进步，也可以让你有机会结识志同道合的人。利用免费的教育决策测试来看看你是否适合重返学校深造。
4. "No one wants to date a ..."
Unfortunately, some jobs come with certain stereotypes that can make a prospective date run for the hills. For example, being a lawyer or therapist could make you a dating pariah because nobody's idea of a good date is to argue or be psychoanalyzed!
很不幸，有些刻板的工作让约会离你远远的。比如，律师或临床医学家的工作可能让你和约会无缘，因为没人会认为好的约会是辩论或被进行精神治疗。
Solution: Be yourself, not your job. If you have a job with a poor career dating profile, don't reinforce these prejudgments. Be aware of the stereotypes that go along with your job title and avoid discussing work-related topics until you and your date have a better understanding of each other.
解决之道：做你自己，而不是你的工作。如果你本来的工作就会给别人一种不适合约会的形象，那自己就不要再增加这一负面影响了。要注意你工作职位中的那些陈腔滥调，直到你和约会对象有更好的了解之前不要谈和工作相关的事情。
