We need to normalize taking a break. It’s okay to take a break when we need one. Sometimes, it will even give us the needed breathing room to regroup and carry on in a much stronger way than before.
When clients are in very tense, high conflict mediation sessions I sometimes ask them to take a break. Sometimes it’s for 5 minutes, sometimes we end the session entirely and come back another day. I’ve never seen a situation where taking a break has made things worse, but I’ve seen many where it made things a whole lot better. People need time to calm down, think and process. The situation is rarely ever urgent, and there’s time to slow things down a little.
Take a breath. Walk away. Regroup. Take the time you need.