“Space can be from a couple of hours to a couple of days or weeks,” says Ruiz, though he generally doesn't recommend his clients take longer than 3 to 4 weeks. “The timeframe that is being considered should be reasonable for both parties to agree with,” he says.
Once you have identified the reason your spouse wants space, try to understand and respect it. Remember to be sensitive to their need for space, and allow them the time to cater to their own individual wants, feelings, and desires. You could also encourage their unique interests and personal goals.
Yes, I have seen lots of cases where a couple reconciles after the husband moves out of the home. By moving out, the husband shows his willingness to give his wife the space she's asking for, the space allows her to think about him differently, and he gets clearly defined windows to showcase his changes.
Becoming a better partner
Giving someone space is an act of love and compassion. It shows that you trust and value them for who they are. Giving them space will help them get reacquainted with themselves and deepen your bond. If you have trouble giving space, you might have your own unresolved issues.
The bottom line? Coan advises every couple to adhere to the 70/30 rule: For the happiest, most harmonious relationship, the pro suggests spending 70% of time together, and 30% apart. That gives each of you enough freedom to explore your own interests while still being rooted and invested in your relationship.
Needing some alone time can be perfectly natural and healthy, but it can also be a sign you're falling out of love. To figure it out, talk with your partner, and do some introspection — and you'll eventually be able to zero in on what you truly need.
Limbo is the toughest spot to be in when it comes to relationships — especially long-distance ones. You asked how to give her space, and the answer is to simply give her space. Don't text her, don't call. Don't engage on social media.
Sometimes, spouses need to take a time out in order to calm down. Like getting space after a fight. Failure to do so increases stress a lot and would lead to damaging the relationship. In this sense, space is a kind of “time out” for the purpose of preserving a good relationship.
Disliking Your Spouse
If you find that you no longer like your spouse and do not enjoy his or her company, your marriage is likely in real trouble. If you are unable to identify your spouse's good qualities and cannot stand being in your spouse's company, you should spend some time thinking about what is happening.
Giving a lot of space works in some, but not most break up situations. For example: If a woman is still very much in love with her guy, she may go back to him if he ignores her for weeks because she doesn't want to risk losing him. Of course, she might also feel rejected and decide to move on without him.
Communicate Your Desire for Reconciliation
If you wish to reconcile with them after, let them know while you are separated. It is important to make them aware of your intentions so they do not lose hope. If they do not respond, be patient. Give them the time to decide if they want the same thing too.
If your relationship is relatively new, she might ask you to wait a shorter amount of time, even just a few days. If your relationship has been going strong for a while, she might ask you to wait a month before contacting her again. If you're unsure how long you should wait, ask her what she thinks is best.
She needs to feel that you're going to be fine even if she's still searching for her identity and wellbeing. So my advice for you when you hear anything like “I need space”, “I feel caged”, “I feel like you're smothering me”, is to let go… take a deep breath and back off. It's so hard to do but you need to stay calm.
Yes, needing space is a normal and healthy part of a relationship. It allows individuals to maintain their sense of self, pursue personal interests, and take care of their emotional well-being.
If you're married with kids and your partner needs space every once in a while, that's okay. Their way of recharging might be physically distancing themselves by shopping, gardening, meeting a friend for a drink, or working in the yard. For new relationships, however, a partner's taking a break could be a red flag.
Three days may be enough for some couples to calm down, get perspective, and address the situation with a clear head. Others might require more or less time to analyze their feelings.
Respect her wishes
Give her some time off and space she needs. If she requests you not to contact her for a few days, leave her be. If she wants to connect with you on her terms (only on weekends or only virtually), accept them. Avoid pushing her to speak or hang out with you.
If your partner says they need space, it's easy to panic and think you've done something wrong—but the truth is, a little bit of space is healthy in a relationship. Sometimes we start spending too much time together or we miss our friends or we just aren't feeling like ourselves—and space can help reset the balance.
If your relationship has taken serious turns and either of you is thinking about breaking up, then giving space could mean staying away for a while without contact. This gives you time to think about your relationship.
Breaks in relationships usually last anywhere between a week or a month and can even extend if both partners feel it's necessary. However, if it lasts an unusually long amount of time like 3–4 months, it's more likely that's a breakup than a break.
According to relationship experts, one option is to divide the time you spend with your partner into 70/30. This means that, ideally, you should spend 70% of your time together and thirty percent of your time apart. During the time apart, you do you.
"For a healthy relationship, it's imperative that couples have as much of 'me-time' as 'we-time'. It acts as a safety valve for the pressure cooker of relationships," says Amrita Sharma, author of the book What Did I Ever See in Him. Spending time away from the partner, however, doesn't mean neglecting your beloved.