Do breaks in relationships really work?

My girlfriend and I have been having a few problems lately.

And during one especially heated bout she suggested the idea of a break.
You know, one of those feared or sought-after things where a couple has a short time-out from each other to think to themselves where they stand in their relationship.

It's not like my gf has been actively seeking to have a break, but just tonight while we were talking she told of her keeness to know what it was really like to be single again, mainly because we haven't been seeing each other much that she almost feels like we're not going out anymore.....
I've been a bit to blame for that, mainly cause I've been working my ass off to get money, ironically to spend more time with her.

I'm gonna take that with a grain of salt, and I'll deal with it as it comes.

But what I wanted to ask you guys was do you think breaks work?
What has happened in your experience?
Did you guys realise you couldn't bear to be apart any longer? XD
Or was the break just the primer for the actual break-up?

Jam it back in, in the dark.