No. Separation is a mental state and an action to live like a spouse’s roommate, ceasing to hold yourself out to friends or family as a “married couple,”
and putting them and your spouse on notice of your intentions and that those intentions are permanent in nature. You need only move into a separate bedroom, stop, if possible, sharing a bathroom, stop eating together or having your spouse do your laundry, stop engaging in conduct or behavior that would lead others to believe your marriage is “fine” or that you have “reconciled” since a stated decision to separate.
