17,99 €
Mehr erfahren.
- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Fachliteratur
- Sprache: Englisch
Taking a career timeout could be the window of opportunity you've been looking for Taking A Career Break For Dummies shows you that a career break could be life-changing. Career breaks give us a chance to pause to identify opportunities and dreams, focus on the things we've been missing, and develop new skills. This book empowers you to take the leap into your next chapter. There are dozens of reasons you might want to do it, but whatever your circumstance, this friendly Dummies guide will help you value your own well-being, give yourself permission to grow and explore, and reclaim your time, your life, and your happiness. * Develop your plan for taking a break from your career and for transitioning back when you're ready * Set a budget for your break, create a realistic timeline, and make it happen * Access practical tools and resources to help you on your career break journey * Build a positive mindset so you can enjoy your break and return to your career feeling renewed For anyone looking for a new direction, feeling burned out, or longing to reignite that inner spark, Taking a Career Break For Dummies is a must. If you're looking for help structuring your planned time off, you'll also love the hands-on guidance and examples inside.
Sie lesen das E-Book in den Legimi-Apps auf:
Seitenzahl: 549
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023
Ähnliche
Taking a Career Break For Dummies®
To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Taking a Career Break For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1: Deciding Whether a Break Is Right for You
Chapter 1: Getting Acquainted with Career Breaks
Examining Your Options for Taking a Break
Considering a Career Break or Sabbatical More Closely
Chapter 2: Embracing the Benefits of a Career Break
Restoring and Improving Your Physical Well-Being
Supporting Your Mental and Emotional Well-Being
Pursuing Personal Development and Interests
Boosting Your Professional Success
Chapter 3: Determining whether a Break Is an Option
Assessing Your Current Situation
Examining the Risks of a Career Break
Acknowledging the Risks of Not Taking a Break
Making a Brave Decision
Part 2: Planning Your Career Break
Chapter 4: Creating a Career Break Plan
Understanding the Benefits of a Well-Designed Plan
Setting a Foundation for Success
Honing Your Purpose to Clearly Define Success
Establishing Themes to Guarantee a Successful Outcome
Bringing Your Career Break Vision to Life with a Wish List
Setting Yourself Up for a Smooth Return to the Workforce
Chapter 5: Figuring Out Your Finances
Determining the Cost of Your Break
Affording a Career Break
Chapter 6: Establishing a Timeline for Your Break
Determining the Length of Your Break
Choosing Your Start Date
Planning the Timeline of Your Break Experience
Part 3: Gearing Up for Your Break
Chapter 7: Sharing News of Your Career Break
Building Your Confidence
Gaining Support from Others
Giving Your Notice and Leaving Your Job on Great Terms
Announcing Your Break
Chapter 8: Managing the Logistics
Navigating the Practicalities of Preparing for a Break
Wrapping Things up at Work
Making Necessary Travel Preparations
Chapter 9: Planning for Extended Travel
Understanding the Benefits of Extended Travel
Planning Your Extended Travel Itinerary
Preparing for Your Extended Travels
Handling Issues Like a Travel Pro
Part 4: Navigating Your Break
Chapter 10: Getting the Most out of Your Break
Surviving and Thriving in the First 60 Days
Navigating the Ups and Downs
Dealing with Loneliness during Your Break
Ushering in Change and Transformation
Chapter 11: Avoiding a Financial Meltdown
Sticking to Your Career Break Budget
Giving Yourself Permission to Spend Money
Chapter 12: Spending This Time Wisely
Structuring Your Free Time
Enjoying Your Experience
Avoiding the Common Pitfalls
Part 5: Exiting with Ease and Grace
Chapter 13: Transitioning out of Your Break
Kick-starting Your Re-Entry Period
Creating Your Transition Plan
Chapter 14: Securing Job Offers after Your Career Break
Crafting Your Break Story for Potential Employers
Launching Your Post–Career Break Job Search
Chapter 15: Thriving Beyond the Break
Sustaining the Benefits of a Break
Embracing the New You
Part 6: The Part of Tens
Chapter 16: Ten Ground Rules for a Successful Break
Creating Your Own Definition of Success
Planning for a Re-Entry Period
Knowing Your Numbers
Leaving Your Job on Great Terms
Disconnecting from the Working World
Putting the Focus Back on You
Giving Yourself Some Grace
Approaching Life Differently
Slowing Down for Extended Travel
Hyping Up Your Break Experience
Chapter 17: Ten Great Examples to Inspire Your Break
Traveling in a New Way
Learning a Language through Immersion
Tackling a Time-Intensive Goal
Pursuing a New Version of an Old Dream
Spending Quality Time with Loved Ones
Using Your Passion to Make a Big Impact
Sparking Your Creativity
Restoring Your Health and Well-being
Discovering New Hobbies and Interests
Getting a Fresh Start
Index
About the Author
Advertisement Page
Connect with Dummies
End User License Agreement
List of Tables
Chapter 5
TABLE 5-1 Lower-Budget Break Cost
TABLE 5-2 Mid-Budget Break Cost
TABLE 5-3 Higher-Budget Break Cost
List of Illustrations
Chapter 1
FIGURE 1-1: Clients’ reasons for taking a break.
Chapter 3
FIGURE 3-1: The most common responsibilities managed while on a break.
Chapter 5
FIGURE 5-1: My original 12-month career break outline.
Chapter 6
FIGURE 6-1: The four steps to determine the length of your break when starting ...
FIGURE 6-2: A three-month excerpt of a monthly career break overview (July thro...
FIGURE 6-3: A calendar format to help you keep track of your travel schedule th...
Chapter 7
FIGURE 7-1: Career break announcement shared via Instagram.
Chapter 10
FIGURE 10-1: Activities to help you rest and restore physically, mentally, emot...
Chapter 11
FIGURE 11-1: Tracking your break expenses and comparing them to your budget.
FIGURE 11-2: Tracking your account balance(s) and comparing it to your budget.
Chapter 14
FIGURE 14-1: Examples of highlighting your break in the Experience section of y...
FIGURE 14-2: An example of using LinkedIn’s career break feature to share high-...
FIGURE 14-3: An example of using LinkedIn’s career break feature to share more ...
FIGURE 14-4: A LinkedIn post announcing the end of a career break.
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Begin Reading
Index
About the Author
Pages
iii
iv
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
Taking a Career Break For Dummies®
Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2024 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
Trademarks: Wiley, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: WHILE THE PUBLISHER AND AUTHORS HAVE USED THEIR BEST EFFORTS IN PREPARING THIS WORK, THEY MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES REPRESENTATIVES, WRITTEN SALES MATERIALS OR PROMOTIONAL STATEMENTS FOR THIS WORK. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATION, WEBSITE, OR PRODUCT IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FURTHER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE PUBLISHER AND AUTHORS ENDORSE THE INFORMATION OR SERVICES THE ORGANIZATION, WEBSITE, OR PRODUCT MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR SITUATION. YOU SHOULD CONSULT WITH A SPECIALIST WHERE APPROPRIATE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR AUTHORS SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OF PROFIT OR ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR OTHER DAMAGES.
For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002. For technical support, please visit https://hub.wiley.com/community/support/dummies.
Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2023947186
ISBN: 978-1-394-19759-0 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-394-19761-3 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-394-19760-6 (ebk)
Introduction
Career breaks, sabbaticals, and gap years are finally having their moment and gaining popularity among those looking for a more sustainable way of living and working, as well as those who want more time to fully enjoy and appreciate their lives.
There’s a powerful alchemy that occurs when you pause to focus intently on your own well-being and happiness. It can help you reconnect to joy and excitement and ultimately return to work feeling steady, inspired, and excited to contribute.
If you’ve spent decades endlessly sprinting on the hamster wheel of life and are wondering when you’re going to get to the good part… you’re almost there! This book guides you to prepare for the break that will help you reclaim your life. The world needs you to bring your light and gifts into being, and taking a break can help you do just that.
About This Book
This is a how-to book. It’s action-oriented, and I hope you’ll interact with the information in this book by doing the activities and reflecting on the questions. You don’t have to tackle every step; choose the ones that apply to your situation and feel free to skip the ones that don’t. While you can move through this book at your own discretion, you may find that working through it from start to finish creates the best results.
This book breaks down the process of designing, navigating, and returning from a break in an easy-to-follow format. You’ll discover the unique frameworks and coaching tools I developed supporting dozens of successful breaks. You’ll even get an inside look at some successful career breaks and sabbaticals so you can see what a break is like and learn from others’ experiences.
By demystifying the exciting world of career breaks and sabbaticals, I hope to make you feel confident and clear about how to move forward. In fact, you can apply many of the tools in this book even before your break begins. You don’t have to wait to start creating the change and personal growth you want to experience in your life.
To make the content more accessible, I’ve divided it into five stages of a break, plus a section with helpful rules and examples.
Foolish Assumptions
My biggest assumption about you is that you’re desiring a change in your life — temporarily or permanently — and you’re ready to experience a life that feels more spacious, joyful, and fulfilling. You want to reclaim your time to focus on important things outside of work and think that taking a career break or sabbatical can help you achieve this goal. Perhaps one of these descriptions comes close to describing your circumstance:
You’ve never taken an extended break or leave from work and want to make sure you do it right and don’t end with regrets.
You want to create a more joyful and fulfilling life and are hoping the break will provide the personal growth and transformation you need to make this happen.
You’re thoughtful when approaching significant changes and want to make sure you’ve designed a break that will allow you to have the best experience
and
create the best outcome possible.
You’ve been working for a number of years and are beyond ready to leave the rat race for a while, but you don’t want to jeopardize all the progress or sacrifices you’ve made along the way.
Note: I have NOT assumed that you have zero responsibilities. You can have an amazing and life-changing experience even while you’re managing obligations and responsibilities. Many of my clients have done this successfully!
I know I’m biased, but I believe that everyone can benefit from the information in this book. We all need a break sometimes, and learning how to prioritize and incorporate a respite into our lives (whether brief or extended) greatly enhances our quality and enjoyment of life.
Icons Used in This Book
Throughout this book, I place icons in the margins that call your attention to certain types of valuable information. Here are the icons you’ll encounter and a brief description of each.
The Tip icon marks tips and shortcuts that will make planning and navigating your break much easier.
A Remember icon marks the information that’s especially important to know. When you see this icon, be sure to pay close attention.
The Warning icon tells you to watch out! It highlights potential missteps I want to help you avoid.
The Activity icon highlights the tools I use with my clients. This is your chance to apply and personalize the concepts covered in this book.
The Anecdote icon points out true stories that show you how certain career break concepts have been applied in the real world.
Beyond the Book
In addition to the abundance of information and guidance related to planning and navigating career breaks and sabbaticals that I provide in this book, you get access to even more help and information online at www.dummies.com. Check out this book’s online Cheat Sheet, which covers prompts to determine if you need a break, the five steps to design a plan (and the big benefits it provides), ways a break can improve your life, and more! Just go to https://www.dummies.com/ and search for “Taking a Career Break For Dummies Cheat Sheet.”
Where to Go from Here
This book contains information that will help you create a successful career break, from beginning to end. You may want to skip around if you’re curious about what to expect throughout the process. Feel free to check out the table of contents or index and search for a subject of particular interest. For example, if you’re worried about finding a job when your break is over, Chapter 14 may be your first stop. If you’re concerned about having health insurance while on a break and want to know what your options are, Chapter 8 can help.
If you’re considering a break and trying to decide if it’s the right choice for you, start with Chapter 1 and then check out Chapter 3.
If you want to take a break but are worried you can’t afford it, jump to Chapter 5 for help figuring out your finances and a simple process that will help you save money more quickly.
If you’re already in the planning stages, start with Chapter 4 to confirm you have a solid plan in place and haven’t missed anything vital.
If you’re already on a break, congrats! You can start with Chapter 10 to make the most of your experience and avoid the most common pitfalls.
Note: If your break started involuntarily, you can still choose to embrace your time off. Design a break that will create a big personal benefit by starting with Chapter 4.
Wherever you begin, welcome to the next step of your fantastic journey!
Part 1
Deciding Whether a Break Is Right for You
IN THIS PART …
Learn the basics of a career break. Discover what a break entails, understand and overcome your biggest objections, and learn what waits for you at the end of a break.
Discover the benefits a break offers with real-life stories that illustrate the life-changing impact of a break.
Determine whether a career break is a viable option for you. Find out how to assess your situation and examine the risks involved without letting fear hold you back.
Chapter 1
Getting Acquainted with Career Breaks
IN THIS CHAPTER
Discovering what a career break entails and how it differs from other breaks
Examining why you might decide to take a break
Overcoming potential objections to taking a break
Exploring the possibilities after a break
Welcome to the exciting world of career breaks, sabbaticals, and gap years! Jumping off the hamster wheel to take a break is an exciting adventure, but it can also feel like approaching a void of uncertainty — scary and overwhelming. If you find the idea appealing but aren’t sure where to begin, you’re in the right place!
This chapter covers the basics to get you up to speed quickly. You’ll gain a better understanding of what a career break entails, why you should consider one, and how to reframe the objections that could prevent you from taking a break. Are you ready to discover a new world of possibility that could change your life for the better? Then let’s get started!
Examining Your Options for Taking a Break
While sabbaticals have existed for centuries as periods of rest, renewal, research, and travel within academia and religion, the idea of taking an extended break from work recently has been gaining momentum in the corporate world and beyond. With the relentless pressures of work and an “always-on” culture taking its toll, many are left searching for a more sustainable way of living and working. Career breaks, gap years, and sabbaticals are helping to fill this need, especially for those suffering from burnout and extreme imbalance. Along with their rising popularity, new names and terms have been popping up to describe these extended breaks, which can get a bit confusing. This section clarifies your options and explains the nuances among them.
Defining the term “career break”
So, what exactly is a career break? A career break is when you quit your job to begin a period of intentional unemployment. It’s far more than just an extended vacation. A career break presents an opportunity for deep rest, personal growth, and exploration. It’s similar to a company-approved sabbatical or leave absence, with a few notable differences. Don’t worry — these adjacent terms are explained in more detail in the section, “Exploring other types of breaks.”
Partly due to the misconception that career breaks only refer to large employment gaps taken for caregiving duties, many people refer to career breaks by a different name:
Adult gap year, golden gap year
Career pause, career hiatus
Mini-retirement
Sabbatical, personal sabbatical, work sabbatical
If you’re considering any of these options, this book’s advice on planning, navigating, preparing for, and returning from a career break is a perfect fit for you.
If your only goal for the break involves trading one full-time job for another — such as launching a business or becoming a digital nomad — it might technically be a career break, but it won’t feel like much of a break at all. Consider incorporating some personal interests or self-care into your plan to receive the full benefit of taking this time off.
If you’ve become involuntarily unemployed and are actively searching for your next role, you’re experiencing more of a career gap than a career break. If you have the financial means to extend your time off and set personal goals, this could be a great time to get yourself back on track. You can turn this unexpected break into an intentional hiatus and use this book to help create a productive and rewarding experience with life-changing results.
While I highly recommend taking a career break at some point in your life, it’s not the right choice for everyone. If quitting your job feels extreme, nearly impossible, or just plain unappealing right now, you have other options like taking a sabbatical or a leave of absence through your employer, both of which I explain in the next section. You can also visit Chapter 3 for a self-assessment to determine if a break is right for you; if you discover it’s not, consider the list of alternatives suggested there.
CAREER BREAKS BY THE NUMBERS
While there’s no specific time limit, career breaks typically range from 3 months to 2 years, with the majority of them lasting between 6 to 12 months.
An abbreviated career break lasts less than 3 months and is preferable for some due to financial and/or time constraints.
Among my clients, the majority of career breaks have started mid-career, ranging from ages 30 to 55 with an average age of 41. You can see a breakdown, by age bands, in the figure.
The average cost of a career break, among my clients, is $3,650 USD per month, and 50 percent fall within the $2,000 to $4,500 USD range.
CHOOSING A TERM FOR YOUR BREAK
You have a ton of options when it comes to labeling your break. In this book, I’m very intentional about using the term career break to describe an intentional break that begins by quitting your job.
My aim is to help remove any lingering stigma around this term. Taking a break from a decades-long career to enjoy your life and restore your well-being shouldn’t be controversial or a decision that’s looked down upon. My goal is to empower you to feel good about taking a break and not feel the need to use other terms to disguise or diffuse it.
Ultimately, though, when it comes to choosing a term to refer to your break, the most important thing is picking a term that makes you feel comfortable and excited about the idea of taking a break so you can share your news confidently and joyfully.
Exploring other types of breaks
To help you avoid confusion and better understand your options for taking a break, this section walks you through the different types of breaks.
Sabbaticals
A sabbatical is a benefit granted by your employer. With it, you’ll take an extended leave of absence to pursue personal goals and then return to your employer when it’s over. There are several ways that it differs from a career break:
A minimum number of years of service are required to be eligible for this benefit (if provided by your employer).
It requires your employer’s permission (if your company offers it and you qualify, you must still be approved).
The length of your break is fixed and agreed upon before the break begins.
You may retain some, or all, of your employer-provided benefits while you’re on a break.
You will not quit your job. You will return to work with your same employer when it’s over.
The benefit of a sabbatical over a career break is that it eliminates the added stress and uncertainty involved in quitting your job. You may also receive some employer-provided benefits, like health insurance, while you’re away, which can lighten your financial load. If, however, you’re looking to change employers, pivot your career, or take a long or indefinite leave, this option doesn’t provide as much flexibility and freedom, so you might be better served by taking a career break.
You may hear many variations of this term (personal sabbatical, work sabbatical, travel sabbatical), but in this book, the term sabbatical refers only to the traditional, employer-provided benefit.
Gap years
A gap year is a specific type of career break — one that is primarily project and/or travel-focused. This term also has several nuanced variations:
Adult gap year:
Adults leaving their jobs to take a project- or travel-focused career break (also referred to as a “grown up” gap year)
Golden gap year:
Adults ages 50+ leaving their jobs to take a travel-focused career break (but not retire)
Student gap year:
Students taking a project- or travel-focused break before (or during) college to aid in their professional and personal development
Gap years are career breaks in disguise. If you’re considering a gap year, this book’s advice for planning and navigating a break is exactly what you need.
Retirement
Retirement is another break-related term with variations. Some variations involve exiting the workforce, and one is just another career break in disguise:
Traditional retirement:
Stepping away to permanently leave the workforce. Through a mix of savings, benefits, and passive income, retirees can enjoy a life free of professional obligations.
Semi-retirement:
When you’re semi-retired, you’ve divorced yourself of a full-time job but entertain professional obligations on a part-time basis.
Mini-retirement:
A temporary exit from the workforce that involves quitting your job to take some self-directed time away from work (this is another term for a career break).
Leaves of absence
If you have an unusual set of circumstances that requires extended time away from your job, you may want to inquire about a leave of absence. Leaves are unpaid and provided at your employer’s discretion. Common reasons for submitting a request include
Bereavement
Burnout
Moving or relocation
Providing care for a family member
Pursuing higher education
Serious health conditions
Be sure to check your employee handbook to see what types of longer unpaid leaves are offered and for what circumstances. Your employer may refer to it as a sabbatical, leave of absence, unpaid leave, or life leave, or there may be a unique company-specific term. If you need a break, you may find an option to take extended time off.
Burnout is a common reason for requesting a leave of absence. If you’re struggling with burnout, you may qualify for a medical leave of absence to address your mental health. In the United States, this type of leave is supported under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Considering a Career Break or Sabbatical More Closely
Taking a break can be an exciting idea to consider. Who knows — it might even be exactly what you need! To help you form a more informed perspective, this section provides an overview of the main motivations and most common objections when it comes to taking a break, and also maps out your options once the break is over.
Looking at the motivations for taking a break
Why might you decide to take a break? You could have an infinite number of reasons, but the desire is usually born from one (or more) of the following motivations:
Achieving a big goal:
Complete an ultra-marathon, write a book
Caregiving duties:
Provide palliative care, care for aging parent or loved one in crisis, raising children
Connecting with loved ones:
Spend more time with aging parents, children, extended family, friends
Addressing health-related issues:
Attend to your needs to recover from burnout, address ongoing issues or illness
Launching a business:
Start a company, create a new product, become self-employed
Coping with crisis or loss:
Divorce, death, job loss, health crisis
Pursuing personal development:
Rediscover your passions and interests, transform your relationship with productivity, create an identity outside of your job
Pursuing professional development:
Pursue upskilling to acquire new skills or to enhance your current skillset, fellowships, certifications, short-term projects
Practicing self-care:
Slow down, develop healthier habits, rest deeply
Reconnecting with fun and joy:
Rediscover hobbies, explore new passions, renew your zest for life
Traveling or undertaking bucket list pursuits:
Hike the Camino de Santiago, take a world-wide family adventure
Volunteering:
Create a positive impact in a neighborhood or community
If want to consider taking a break more seriously, be sure to read Chapter 2 for a detailed explanation of the many benefits and rewards that await you on a break, and Chapter 3 to explore the risks involved in this big decision.
If you’re curious to know the most common motivations for taking a break, see Figure 1-1 for the reasons my clients chose to take a break. (Note that many clients cited more than one reason.)
FIGURE 1-1: Clients’ reasons for taking a break.
When it comes to planning your break, I highly encourage you to put yourself at the center of it all. Even if you’re taking a break to care for others or pursue hefty professional goals, create space to give yourself the rare gift of time focused on fulfilling and exploring your own needs and desires. Plus, when you fill your own cup, you’re able to show up more fully for others, too. Chapter 4 guides you through a simple process to uncover your needs and desires so you can incorporate them into your break and get clear about your personal motivations and purpose for taking a break.
Addressing the biggest objections
You probably have a lot of great reasons to consider a career break or sabbatical. But I’m sure you have some big concerns and apprehensions about it, too, as you should. It’s important to think through the pros and cons of big decisions, and now feels like the right time to tackle the big objections you may have about taking a break.
This section includes the doubts and objections I hear most often. Whether they’re your own or those of a friend or family member, I have suggestions to help you logically work through each one so you can decide whether it’s a valid reason to pass on a break.
Having doubts and fears is a very normal part of this process. For the best outcome, allow them to inform you but not dissuade you. Use them to uncover the potential roadblocks and dangers ahead and make a plan to overcome them, but don’t let them fool you into believing you can’t move forward.
You’re being irresponsible
If you’re worried that it would be massively irresponsible to take a break, you’re not alone. For example, I was once in your shoes, and many of my clients have been, too. You’re likely juggling a lot of balls right now and can’t imagine dropping any of them (let alone most of them). You’ve probably sacrificed and worked hard to get to where you are today, and taking a break could feel like you’d be throwing it all away. You’re steady, dependable, and successful; you don’t make rash or ill-advised decisions. If this sounds like you, here are three things I want you to consider:
If you feel a strong desire to slow down and pause, spend more time with your loved ones, or have a grand adventure, it may be irresponsible to ignore this desire and continue pushing through a life that isn’t fulfilling or nourishing you.
Responsible is defined as “being able to choose for oneself between right and wrong.” Pay attention to who’s choosing your right and wrong. Is it you? Or are you influenced by people with different lives, goals, and priorities than you?
Taking a break can create new possibilities in your life and lead to an even better future. It might be more irresponsible to delay taking this detour to better health, expanded joy, and greater impact.
Taking a break doesn’t have to be a rash decision. A well-planned break can improve your life and usher in more success. Chapter 4 is dedicated to helping you create a thoughtful plan and strategy for your break.
Not taking care of your health and well-being is not acting responsibly. If you feel that you truly need a break, I urge you to start planning a break before you’re forced into one.
It’s likely that some of your responsibilities will need to be managed through your break (family, home, debt, pets). This is totally doable. For a breakdown of the responsibilities my clients have carried during a break, see Figure 3-1.
You’ll ruin your career
If you think taking a break means “taking a step back” from your career, I’ve got a surprise for you … a well-designed career break can actually support your career progression! Whether you return to your same job or seek out a new one, a career break or sabbatical can pave the way to more success, fulfillment, and opportunity after it’s over.
Using a break to nourish yourself, fulfill your goals and dreams, and have some fun creates a version of you that is better, bolder, and happier. This new version of you has the same advantages that you’ve always had — same education, work history, and network — but the post-break you also has more energy, inspiration, and a unique perspective.
I’ve witnessed countless success stories of career breaks propelling career changes, company changes, and promotions, in addition to launching self-employment journeys. When you’re able to stop and give yourself what you need most, you’ll find yourself restored and ready to tackle even bigger challenges and goals.
After returning from a 20-month break, I landed five job offers in just five weeks, including a dream job, a new career option, and a promotion with a 30 percent raise. I used my break to create a professional advantage. To find out more about my exact process for securing job offer(s) after a career break, visit Chapter 14.
You can’t afford a break
“Must be nice, but I could never afford a break” is something I’ve heard many times. As much as you may doubt your ability to afford a break, you might be surprised to know it’s more achievable than you think. If being able to afford a break is one of your current objections, consider the following:
A break is an investment — in you!
It’s a chance to prioritize and invest in your well-being, your dreams, and your enjoyment of life. We’re taught to invest large sums in many things (mortgages, cars, education) but often overlook the importance of investing in ourselves.
Before deciding if you can afford it, make sure you know how much a break would cost.
Estimate how much money you’d need to take a break before dismissing the idea.
Chapter 5
helps you estimate the cost. It might be less than you think!
Revisit your priorities.
Are you spending money on things that will provide a meaningful improvement in your future and your current well-being? If not, consider how you might redirect and reprioritize your expenses to invest in a break.
You can always save for a break.
I started with a dream of taking a break with just $1,500 in my bank account and more than $50,000 in debt. But 18 months later, I’d saved $40,000 and left to take a 20-month break. If you want help saving money, you can discover my four steps to saving for a break in
Chapter 5
.
Your break doesn’t have to be expensive.
You can “downgrade” your expenses without sacrificing your experience. You can move in with loved ones to save on rent, reduce the length of your break, or travel to more affordable places. If you’re willing to be creative and resourceful, you can create an affordable plan.
Many people have the money for a break but they struggle to give themselves permission to spend it. They’re used to collecting a steady income, with a healthy amount diverted to savings and investments. And after years of building wealth, it’s unimaginable to consider pausing that. If this is you, I hope you’ll take an honest look at your finances. While you’re doing an excellent job of investing in the future, make sure you know what you’re saving it all for. You’ve spent years trading your time for money. Maybe it’s time to flip that equation and buy back some of your time.
You should wait for a better time
“I’ll just wait until … the market improves, I deal with my health issue, pay off my car, land the promotion, etc.”
Now might not feel like the best time to start planning a break, but there will always be at least one good reason to postpone doing the big things you want to do. If you’re waiting for the right conditions, I’ve got a spoiler for you: Life won’t create a perfect space for you to chase your dreams or unplug and recover. You have to create that space yourself.
Waiting to start planning the break you want and need also means delaying the benefits and positive changes that will come from taking a break. Do you really want five more years of feeling exhausted, misaligned, or just generally stuck in life? If you start planning now, you’ll reach your goals much sooner.
Many of my clients have planned and launched a break during uncertain times, like a global pandemic, an international conflict, a potential recession, and more. While their circumstances created more uncertainty, they were certain about their desire to take a break. By starting early, they were able to prepare their finances, develop a plan for their break, and get clear on their personal goals. Now is always a great time to start planning your break!
You’re not the “career break type”
Have you fallen for any of these common misconceptions about career breaks and sabbaticals? They might have you believing that a break isn’t right for you, when it really is. To clear things up, I’m going to set the record straight on three of the most common misconceptions out there:
SHOULD YOU WAIT UNTIL YOU RETIRE?
Some of my clients are less than a decade away from retirement when they start considering a break. A part of them thinks they should keep their head down and push through, while another part realizes they don’t want to.
Taking a break in the last years of your career can create a wonderful new chapter full of possibilities. Tomorrow is never promised, so making the most of what you have today (like your health) is imperative. Plus, breaking for a few months can be a restorative and rejuvenating experience that provides a more expansive vision for what your life can be.
A break can also be a great trial run for your retirement. You’ll gain experience managing unstructured time and navigating a life full of freedom and possibility. You can also explore your identity separate from the work you do or the title you hold. If you’re considering a break, don’t feel you have to wait until retirement to claim it — you can start sooner than you think!
You can’t like it “too” much.
If you have a fear that you’ll enjoy your break so much you’ll struggle to return to your old life, think about how limiting that belief is. You’re essentially pre-disappointing yourself to try to avoid potential disappointment later. When you take a break, it will set a new bar for your life and push you to change what wasn’t working. You won’t resign yourself to the same-old-same-old when your break is over — you’ll set out to create something even better.
You don’t have to travel to have an eventful and beneficial break.
Almost one third of my clients opted not to travel abroad during their breaks. If your finances, health issues, family life, or personal preferences make staying close to home a better option, travel is not essential for a successful break experience.
You won’t die of boredom.
If the idea of downtime feels uncomfortable, it may be a sign that you’re equating busyness and productivity with worthiness (a recipe for burnout). Boredom isn’t toxic. It’s just a temporary state — one that can give birth to creative ideas and support a deeper level of rest.
Outlining options for returning to work after a break
Part of considering a career break includes envisioning your future beyond the break. What might be waiting for you after it’s all over? There are so many possibilities for what could come next!
You can use a break to explore and discover new options or return to a better version of your previous role (with a better company, better pay, or both). You could blaze a new trail for yourself and start living as a digital nomad. Or you could launch your own business and become your own boss. To help you imagine the possibilities, I’m including client examples of how you can return to the workforce after a career break.
Returning to your previous career path
Many people elect to return to their former career after a break, putting their expertise and previous experience to use. The good news is that they often jump back into a better opportunity. It might be a more interesting role, offer a better compensation package, or a more desirable location. For some, it’s an opportunity to work with a company or industry that’s more aligned with their values. As they return to their original career path restored and excited to start fresh, they often zoom ahead and land in a much better spot than when they left.
Following are some examples from my clients who’ve found themselves in improved situations after their breaks:
Lili was a successful entrepreneur and business owner, which made creating a separation from her work and company quite difficult. But Lili was determined to give herself a break and did an incredible job of growing her team and adjusting her processes to support her taking significant time away from the business. She returned feeling inspired and restored and with better systems and support in place. Both Lili and her company benefitted from her sabbatical.
Juliana used her previous expertise and network to land an exciting opportunity with a startup near the end of her break. She parlayed her relevant and valuable skillset into an opportunity to experiment with her career in a new capacity and try a different approach to work. After a couple months, she realized the startup was no longer a good fit, so she re-entered the job market and landed a more aligned opportunity. (She credits her break with empowering her to more easily and quickly leave a job that wasn’t a great fit.)
Hollis left his senior leadership role for a two-month career break, before starting as the CEO of a new company. He used his break to reset, restore, and connect more deeply with his family, before leaping into the new adventure ahead of him. The break provided a necessary pause that allowed him to show up fully for this greatly expanded role.
Embarking on a new career path
If you’re considering a career pivot, a break can pave the way for this transition. You can use time during your break to upskill or gain new certifications, complete a fellowship for professional development, expand your network, or shore up any weaknesses (building fluency in a new language, learning a new program or tool). With ample time off, you can experiment with new ideas and pursue passions and interests. When you’re ready to re-enter, you can integrate your interests with your previous experience and skillset to make yourself a standout candidate as you launch your new career.
Misha used her break to fulfill a long-held dream of relocating to the Pacific Northwest. The time off gave her an opportunity to explore her new surroundings and build a new community. She had several big adventures, like learning to surf in Hawaii, and eventually realized she was ready to return to the workforce. She didn’t have a desire to revisit her previous career, so she opted to apply for new jobs and roles. She quickly landed one, just a few weeks after starting the application process, and settled into her third career.
Becoming self-employed
Breaking free of the rat race may leave you wanting to give self-employment a try. Whether you took a break to launch your own business or discovered the desire during your time off, a career break can be a great time to try out being your own boss. You could become a contractor, consultant, or freelancer or start your own company.
I most commonly see career breakers approach self-employment while on a break in these three ways:
Becoming inspired by an idea during their break and wanting to offer a new service or product
Experiencing the freedom and autonomy of a break and deciding to continue living and working on their own terms
Meeting interesting people who are doing innovative things and feeling inspired to do the same
Heidi’s previous career in education wasn’t fulfilling her anymore, so she decided to give self-employment a try during her break. She had a few possibilities floating through her mind, so she opted to plant seeds for several ideas at the same time and see which bloomed first. She became a medical interpreter, Airbnb manager, and a vacation planner and launched an export business for women’s accessories. Each pursuit began generating income as Heidi applied her previous skills in new ways and integrated them with her passions and interests.
Creating a more desirable lifestyle
After leaving the unsustainable and fast-paced working world behind, you may decide to pursue a lifestyle that better suits you. A career break can be an optimal time to design a lifestyle that reflects your desired pace, rhythms, and priorities. When you’re ready to return to work, your break can provide an opportunity for you to approach your work and life differently. For example, you could
Become a digital nomad or remote worker:
If you desire location independence and love to travel to new places, you can explore remote work and create a more nomadic lifestyle.
Incorporate more breaks into your life:
You might enjoy the contrast of intense work sprints followed by long periods of recreation and leisure and decide to take more breaks in the future.
Return to work part-time:
If you enjoy your work but desire more time to focus on your life outside of work, returning part-time could be an option.
Taking a break allows you to break your life apart and put it back together in a new and exciting way. As you begin the process of returning to work, you can give yourself time to consider your options and design a lifestyle that will support and align with the new you, instead of defaulting to the one you previously had.
Jess had settled into her break when she was contacted by an old manager and asked to accept a new contract position. Realizing that she wasn’t ready to return to full-time employment, Jess happily accepted the part-time position, which allowed her a much slower transition out of her break. While she would eventually ramp back up to full-time, starting with a part-time role allowed her to continue focusing on her other career break goals.
Rita had worked hard for many years and was feeling tired when she started her break. Luckily, the space her break provided allowed Rita to collect herself and nourish her mind and body. She eventually accepted a freelance position during her break that allowed her to explore the option of remote working. After she started, Rita realized this lifestyle really suited her and she decided to become a contractor freelancer and remote worker. She even developed some helpful resources to share her experiences and journey with others.
Chapter 2
Embracing the Benefits of a Career Break
IN THIS CHAPTER
Improving your physical health
Supporting your mental and emotional health
Realizing personal goals
Creating more professional success
Acareer break can improve your life by providing time to recover, realize big dreams, explore exciting ideas, advance your career, and much more. Many benefits are provided by taking a career break, and in this chapter, I highlight some of the biggest and most impactful because understanding the benefits is an important step in deciding whether a career break is right for you. You’ll also get to look behind the scenes of several different career breaks and sabbaticals, as I share anecdotes to help illustrate the benefits.
If you’ve decided you want to take a break, this chapter provides the affirmation you need to keep moving forward. And if you’re on the fence, or have recently started thinking about a break, this chapter’s real-life examples will help you understand the impact a well-designed career break can have on your life. So many benefits are waiting for you at the end of the career break rainbow!
You may want to gloss over the benefits and focus solely on the potential drawbacks, but don’t make this mistake! The drawbacks are important to consider (I cover them in Chapter 3), but it’s equally important that you also consider the benefits - they are what you stand to gain from taking this leap.
Restoring and Improving Your Physical Well-Being
Imagine feeling stronger, healthier, and more energized than you’ve felt in years. Good health is invaluable, but you may find that you often neglect it as you race toward your professional and financial goals. Luckily, improving your physical health is one of the biggest benefits a career break can offer. A break provides an opportunity to slow down, fully recharge, and hit the reset button on your health — it’s a chance to prioritize your well-being.
During a break, you can extract yourself from the many distractions competing for your time and potentially sabotaging your health goals. It’s challenging to adopt and maintain healthy habits when you’re fully immersed in the working world. But power naps, healthier meals, reasonable bedtimes, daily movement, and more are suddenly within reach when you’re on a break. And if you have lingering health issues that require more time and attention, you’ll have ample time to resolve them during this time off, too.
Recharging your batteries
We’ve normalized running on empty for extended periods of time, with only a quick recharge when absolutely necessary. But when you accept the bare minimum of what’s needed to get your system back up and running, you eventually crash and find yourself in need of a system reboot.
Taking a break provides time for a complete recharge. You’ll have the luxury of waking up sans alarm clock and starting your day at a slower pace. It’s a sharp contrast to several rounds with the snooze button and a burst of adrenaline, as you hustle your way into the start of your work day. When you’re on a break, you’ll have space for the deep rest and ease a full recharge requires.
I had a client who half-jokingly worried that giving themself permission to rest all day would be the gateway to a life spent sitting on the couch, eating bonbons. But they were exhausted and in need of deep rest, so they cautiously gifted themself “do nothing” days — days during which their only requirement was to eat and sleep. And after several weeks, they gained enough energy to add in fun activities like hikes with their spouse, dinner with friends, and dance classes. Several months into their break, they had more energy and motivation than they’d experienced in a long time.
Taking time to step away from the daily grind will restore your energy and renew your motivation. When you’re on a break, you choose the speed and your activities. You’ll have the freedom to exchange many of your energy-draining activities for things that give you energy instead, which leads to rejuvenation. The power of rest is underrated, but it’s essential for renewing your energy and enthusiasm.
Following are some ideas to help recharge your batteries while on a break:
Eat well.
Be sure to incorporate nourishing foods that will restore your energy and support your body and immune system.
Get adequate sleep.
Sleep is essential for maintaining good health and supporting your body’s ability to repair itself.
Move your body.
Stillness and rest might be required for the first few weeks of your break, but after you’ve rested it’s time to add movement. Whether it’s walking, hiking, dancing, stretching, yoga, etc., incorporate gentle movement to support your recovery.
Breathe intentionally.
This one is incredibly simple but also important. Incorporating pockets of deep, slow breathing into your day will support your body’s ability to repair itself.
Embrace play.
Play relieves stress, reduces tension, and promotes relaxation, among other health benefits. Plus, it’s fun! This makes play a win-win.
Spend time outdoors.
Spending time in nature can have a calming effect on your body and increase feelings of vitality. It can also be a mood-booster that supports and improves your overall well-being.
Recovering your physical health
A break can help you reclaim your health and improve your quality of life, with benefits that last well beyond your break. Whether you want to get into better shape or desire a deeper level of healing and recovery, a break provides time for you to get your health back on track (or on track for the very first time).
You might see this benefit begin soon after your break starts. With more time for healthy meal prep and daily movement, plus less time being tied to your devices every day, an immediate reduction in your stress levels and a healthier body are more accessible.
Here are several ways people pursue health improvement while on a break:
Addressing significant changes in their bodies due to aging and/or stress
Experimenting with approaches to achieve a higher quality of sleep (meditation, going to bed earlier, reducing or eliminating caffeine, etc.)
Exploring alternative health practitioners (chiropractors, acupuncturists, functional medicine, reiki healers, etc.) for support
Finding a specialist to help resolve complex health issues
Incorporating consistent daily movement into their life (e.g., yoga, walking, running, Pilates, stretching, pickle ball, tennis, swimming, hiking, etc.)
Preparing more meals at home, experimenting with new recipes, and incorporating more nutrient-dense foods
Undergoing necessary surgery with ample recovery time
Working with a dietician, nutritionist, or health coach to improve their diet
If you need to resolve a more serious health issue, a break can be incredibly beneficial. Significant health issues require a lot of time, patience, and support to resolve. Being on a break means having more time and energy for things like doctor or specialist appointments, medical tests, research, new treatment protocols, surgery, recovery time, and more. With the extended time off that a career break provides, you’ll be able to properly address your health issues and create a more nurturing environment to support your recovery.
One of my clients struggled with declining health before her break began. She worked a very demanding job, which made it difficult to take good care of herself. It also made it challenging to manage doctor visits and get answers about her worsening symptoms. With no diagnosis, she wasn’t sure how to get ahead of her mystery illness. While saving and preparing for a career break, her body crashed and forced her into an early start. During her break, she had time to find a new doctor and finally receive a definitive diagnosis: Lyme disease. After years of uncertainty, she had an answer. This career break set her on a path to heal her body and manage her symptoms — she credits the break with saving her health.
Creating a healthier lifestyle
Even if you aren’t struggling with health issues, a career break can provide a reset that makes living a healthier life easier. With fewer competing priorities and more time freedom, you can develop supportive habits and routines that will lead to a heathier, more vibrant life. This is a gift that will keep on giving!
