HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Joshua Jackson says his previous relationships suffered because he always put work first, but that has changed with girlfriend Diane Kruger.

"That was a falling-down point for me with women in the past," the actor tells Nuvo magazine. "My work is so hit-and-miss, you get caught up in this idea, when it's here, everything else goes to second best. With Diane, I've made sure she stays in the premier position. And all of a sudden I've realized, oh look, I can have a life and do my job. This is really nice."

Jackson, 32, and Kruger, 34, have been dating for the past four years. While they currently live together, their careers often separate them for extended periods of time, so they rely on technology to keep them close. The former Dawson's Creek star says the German actress has taught him how to pay closer attention to time.

"You can't be late for Germans," he told the mag. "Doesn't work."