By Bob Strauss

Here’s an Amazing Guy Fact: most of us can barely watch TV and scratch our armpits at the same time, yet we feel perfectly comfortable dating two or three women simultaneously. Well, maybe “comfortable” is a strong word. The fact is, that little rooster-in-the-henhouse act is good for impressing other guys, and easing our own deep-rooted sense of insecurity, but it rarely makes us genuinely happy. Here are some good arguments for (as the sociologists call it) serial dating monogamy.

1. You won’t have to keep your stories straight

Assuming girlfriend A is completely unaware of the existence of girlfriends B and C, and vice versa, odds are you’ll be spinning more tall tales than a cub scout troop around a campfire. Cleave through that tangled web by focusing on only one chick at a time.

2. You’ll save on your phone bill

Cell-phone calling plans are complicated enough; do you really want to portion out your day, night and unlimited minutes seventeen different ways? Plus, few things in life are more crazy-making than getting an unexpected ring from girlfriend A while you’re putting the moves on girlfriend C.[$MSN.ARTICLE.CTALINKS$]3. She’ll have your full attention

Granted, this doesn’t benefit you all that much, but maybe it’s time to think about the other person for a change. Look at it as an opportunity to catch up on some pertinent information, like your girlfriend’s taste in music, her favorite restaurants and her last name.

4. Your friends will thank you

If you think it’s stressful juggling women like hacky-sacks, imagine what it’s like for your buddies, who have to keep track of who you’re with on any given evening and what they are and aren’t allowed to say. Sticking with one woman at a time will allow them to spend less time thinking and more time drinking beer.

5. You’ll have lower blood pressure

Scientists (at least the kind of scientists who write for supermarket tabloids) have proven that monogamy is kinder to the heart, lungs and liver than sowing your wild oats. You’ll also experience less toothaches and migraines and any skin problems you have will clear up right away. Trust me.

6. You’ll give other guys a fair shot

Unless the women you’re seeing are as good at multitasking as you are, odds are they consider you their “exclusive” boyfriend. So, by dating three gals at once, you’ve selfishly managed to remove all of them from circulation, while so many guys (like me) are staying home all alone on Saturday night.

7. You won’t go to debtor’s prison

Expensive dinners, birthday presents, theater tickets … it all adds up, and it adds up much faster when you’re spewing your largesse on more than one person. Take the monogamy route, and you won’t start hyperventilating every time you open your credit-card bill.

8. You’ll be more … er … focused

The bounds of good taste forbid me from going into great detail here, but unless you’re 20 years old and in phenomenal shape, the demands of two or three women will stretch you way beyond your factory specifications. Stick with one, and see how much more you both enjoy yourselves.

Bob Strauss is a New York-based freelance writer and the author of Who Knew? Hundreds & Hundreds of Questions & Answers for Curious Minds. Email him your thoughts here.