<p>Marriage sabbaticals aren't a divorce, or an excuse for guilt-free frotting but a chance to reset priorities. But do they work?</p><p>It can be hard to figure out how to fix a relationship in need of repair when you're in the grind of the day-to-day. Living separately for a while or even taking a solo holiday can be a chance for a jump-start, but it comes with risks.</p><p>Yumi Stynes meets women who've hit pause on their partnerships in the hopes of coming back together stronger than before.</p><p>This episode will answer questions like: </p><ul><li>What is a marriage sabbatical? </li><li>Why do women feel like they need a break from their marriage? </li><li>Why do some women feel like they care for their husbands like children? </li><li>How can you ask for a break from your relationship? </li><li>How do you know you’re happy in a relationship? </li><li>What does an equal partnership look like? </li><li>How do relationship preferences change over time? </li><li>Can having a break save your marriage? </li></ul><p>What to listen to next: </p><p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/ladies-we-need-to-talk/women-who-cheat/9687992" target="_blank">Women who cheat</a></p><p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/ladies-we-need-to-talk/is-everyone-having-better-sex-than-me-/105325426" target="_blank">Is everyone having better sex than me?</a></p><p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/ladies-we-need-to-talk/ladies-we-need-to-talk-dating-app-single-events/105735208" target="_blank">The new way to date</a></p><p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/ladies-we-need-to-talk/pop-culture-body-image-woman-ladies-we-need-to-talk/106225274" target="_blank">How pop culture f*cked us up, with Sophie Gilbert</a></p><p>You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.  </p><p>What to read next:  </p><p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/ladies-we-need-to-talk/pop-culture-body-image-woman-ladies-we-need-to-talk/106225274" target="_blank">How pop culture messed us up, with Sophie Gilbert</a></p><p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/ladies-we-need-to-talk/gender-roles-family-womens-work-ladies-we-need-to-talk/106153062" target="_blank">How swapping a husband for a wife made this economist better off</a></p><p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/ladies-we-need-to-talk/sex-worker-70-ladies-need-to-talk-escort-older-woman/105660060" target="_blank">Paying for sex at 70</a></p><p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/ladies-we-need-to-talk/ladies-we-need-to-talk-mastectomy-going-flat-breast-cancer/106107772" target="_blank">Life without boobs: Meet the women staying flat after breast cancer</a></p><p>This episode contains references to sex, marriage, family, parenting, mental load, emotional labour, domestic labour, inequality, chores, perimenopause, break-ups, relationship, love, psychology, attachment. </p>