Smart coaches call timeout before they’re down fifteen. Take a breather before the spiral, not after.

Stepping in early looks unnecessary, which is exactly the point. Once things have slid far enough, the same intervention costs much more and works much less, because now you are handling momentum on top of the original problem. Pausing before it is obviously needed feels like overreacting and is simply good timing. The right moment is usually earlier than instinct says.

Choose a marker that means take a break, not a feeling but something visible: a number, a time, a second mistake. When you hit it, stop briefly whether or not you want to. Early breaks are cheap and late ones are not.