I had the same sort of concern in the recent past. Only way is to understand more each other and one's own interests, tasks, and concerns. It would help to make extensive discussions according to your and his daily activities. Give a pause button for being only romantic and make him feel like you are his best friend and jus friend, start sharing with him whatever tasks u get to overcome and being a girl you start imagining just as you sit beside him or think in his position and follow his attention. It will suit for him too. It would definitely be able to help each other to provide good support also the entire chat will be a good and meaningul one. My fiance is 9 hours away from me with his family. We can have only phone chat. I made this change. The time when we had "silence" has completely changed to "time is not enough to talk". My best wishes..