Girl: I really care about you, but I just need some space right now.

Boy: I know we’ve had problems in the past, but we’ve always gotten through them. Let’s just work this out.

Girl: I understand that. You know I love you and I don’t want you to leave my life. But I think we just need to take a break.

Boy:

Unlike a timeout in basketball, BREAKS IN RELATIONSHIPS ARE NOT EFFECTIVE. In fact, breaks actually make matters worse between you and the person you’re dealing with. Contrary to popular belief, once you and your girl decide to take a break the likelihood of you two getting back together are probably slim to none. Let’s be real, if the person really cared about you they would be putting in just as much effort as you to make it work no matter how difficult the problems you are facing.

The time used during a “break” could easily be used to fix the problem that is occurring in the relationship. Instead, people would rather use that time to explore other options or use the cliché phrase “find themselves.” When a team calls a timeout in basketball, they use that time to regroup, game plan, and strategize on how to be successful as a unit. They don’t use that time to think about getting traded to another team or get distracted by that beautiful celebrity that’s sitting court side at the game. Timeouts are effective when a team bands together rather than apart and the time is used to right the wrongs they committed in the past so they could be better in the future.

Don’t get me wrong, if you’re not happy with the person you’re with, by all means break up. Call it all the way off, don’t leave a glimpse of hope, and just leave. That’s genuinely the most healthy thing you can do for yourself and the person you’re dealing with. Timeouts are not necessary if you do not have a plan of action as a team for the future. Therefore, do not settle for a “break.” Either be persistent enough to continue as a unit or be strong enough to ball by yourself dolo.