What You Can Learn From My Career Break
I thought I was bold and courageous by taking a career break on the cusp of my 30th birthday. Turns out, I’m trendy. According to Gusto, an HR platform, sabbaticals are on the rise. The most likely Sabbatarians are between the ages of 27 and 34 and are more likely to be women.
I worked on my first political campaign 10 years ago. Once I hopped on the career train, it didn’t slow down. I went from campaign to campaign to a lobbying internship to my first full-time role at Butler University, then back to lobbying, to being a nonprofit executive director to America’s Future from age 20 to 29. Not only was I changing jobs rapidly, but my life changed constantly.
I helped my fiancé pick out a house. I got married. The pandemic hit. We got a dog! We bought a new house. I had a major health crisis. I got divorced. I am exhausted from writing this.
The 20s are an absolute onslaught of personal and professional insanity. By December 2024, four months away from my 30th birthday, I was fed up. I felt directionless and exhausted. After examining my savings and the help of a few contracts, I made the decision to leave my job. I needed to clear my head.
Before you make a similar choice, here’s what I’d urge you to consider.
What is the goal of your sabbatical, and what are your guiding priorities in this season?
This was my biggest mistake. I wanted time to breathe and clear my head to make strategic and thoughtful decisions about my career. I did not anticipate how hard it would be to structure your days when you have nowhere to be. More often than not, the fear of not having a job crept in over opportunities to rest. I felt guilty when I took an afternoon to watch reality TV and nap. I didn’t prioritize exercise and physical health. I attended every coffee meeting I could and participated in a variety of networking events. Obviously, these were beneficial to the overall goal of finding a new job. However, I found the clarity I was seeking when I took advantage of a beautiful day and went on a hike. In that intentional moment of quiet, sunshine, and prayer, I found conviction.
Make your list of priorities: better sleep, being outside, the number of job applications per week, and the number of networking events per week. Hold yourself accountable to those priorities.
Work is inherently good, but purpose comes from many sources.
President Theodore Roosevelt said, “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” The work-life balance revolution brought on by millennials certainly has its merit. A life well-lived is a full life. However, there is also an undercurrent with the “quite-quitting” trends and anti-capitalist sentiment that implies work is inherently bad. During my time off, I rediscovered that I have a natural impetus to work or create meaning, which I believe is universal. If you take a career sabbatical, you need to mentally prepare for a period of purposelessness or reframing your purpose.
During my four months off, I had meals with friends I hadn’t seen in years. I helped my mom by taking care of appointments for my grandma. I had the opportunity to drop everything for a last-minute trip to visit a friend in need. Consider how you will address that natural desire to make meaning through volunteering, reconnecting with friends and family, or maybe taking on a fun project!
Money is a tool.
The adage, “Show me your budget and I’ll show you what you value,” is true. In my 20s, I valued setting myself up for the future. This paid off because it gave me the freedom to explore during my career sabbatical. However, personal finance is not just about saving for retirement (although I strongly encourage it). Your money is a tool to live a life aligned with your values. You may value freedom and the ability to leave a job when it goes south. Perhaps your family would like to have a stay-at-home parent. How can your money be a tool to help you achieve those bigger goals?
Because of my career break, I’m walking into the next decade of my life with a clearer sense of vocation than ever before. I want to develop the next generation of leaders to tackle climate change using market-based principles. I also set my top three priorities for year 30: faith, health, and play. But you may not need a full four months to figure that out. Find your space for reflection and rest to keep yourself aligned with your values, and the life you want to build will come.