Most of us will view this article as a preview for a break up. You hear someone say “I need some space” when they want to take some time apart. I am not addressing that sort of time apart. However, consistent time apart can help prevent taking time apart or a break in a relationship.
I am encouraging time apart consistently in a relationship to feel like a complete person in yourself while also being a dependent partner. Life is about balance. Too much of anything can be a bad thing. We have heard the saying, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and this is true.
If you live together time apart still takes place at work, while in the company of friends, or while participating in your own hobbies. Having your own autonomy suppresses too much dependency in a relationship.
Wanting to take time apart or feeling like we need time apart happens by not practicing a healthy balance of time together and time apart. An article in Psychology Today expresses making a habit of this balance and how it can help a relationship be successful.
As we develop a long term relationship it is difficult to distinguish who I am vs. who we are. Is it important to keep your individual identity as you develop the couple’s identity. Your individual identity plays a vital role in the success of your relationship.