The "morning after" plan

Stay or go?

Woken up in a new guy's bed? There's no need to dive under the doona…

After your first time with him, there's a lot to deal with: morning-breath paranoia, the fact you're starkers together in broad daylight and, of course, the obvious issue of what your new status is. Make a seamless transition from ''Oh yes'', to ''See you on Tuesday'' by following these tips.

Don't stay too long

Brutal, but true: just because you had sex doesn't mean you should stay all day. ''I was dating this girl who wanted to hang out the next morning, but after only a couple of hours with her, I realised I wasn't ready [for that],'' says Beau*, 29. ''I had to make up an excuse about meeting friends.'' To leave him wanting more, tell him you have brunch plans with the girls and bail.

Act cool, not contrite

Maybe you slept with him a little sooner than you wanted to, but you don't have to plead innocent. ''I've heard 'This is sooo not like me' so many times that I've stopped believing it,'' says Harry*, 29. Besides, rationalising why you had sex can come off as an insult, so be comfortable with your decision.

Don't play Sadie

Sure, his clothes and sheets might be scattered everywhere, but spending the night doesn't suddenly give you cleaning rights. ''I returned from the bathroom to find the girl I'd just slept with had made my bed and put my clothes away,'' says David, 30. ''It was kind of sweet, but at the same time, it completely freaked me out.''

Wake him before you go-go

If he wakes up alone, he'll probably wonder what went wrong. ''After two years of being friends with this great girl, we ended up having sex,'' says George*, 32. ''The next day, she vanished. I was so pissed off, I didn't even want to see where things could go.'' If you must leave, at least whisper goodbye in his ear.