5 Things You Need To Know Before Your Next Career Break

I am approaching the end of my second self-funded break. Of late, I noticed a marked increase in the number of friends in my network contemplating their first career break.

This article reflects on my career breaks and highlights 5 things you should know before tossing in your resignation letter. I offer insight into how you can prepare for a career break and how you can expect to feel - the highs and the lows.

(A "career break" in this article refers to a conscious attempt to step away from what has been consuming you at work, to provide the necessary focus to an alternate priority - self, family, community.)

# 1: Know Who Your Sponsors Are (At Least 2 Years Before)

This tip is the most important of all tips because your sponsor can make it that much easier to seek the next opportunity when your career break ends.

Sponsors are rare gems. To complicate matters, they need to observe you in action over time to be your advocate. So give yourself 2 years to a identify, connect and impress. Sponsors go through rough patches too so it will be prudent to have a minimum of 2 sponsors.

When I was approaching my first break, I deferred coffee chats, lunches and drinks. I was in a hurry to wrap up and save the chats for my career break. I would have so much time! It was true. I did eventually have time but every coffee, lunch, dinner, drink had to be scheduled and felt like "networking". While there is nothing wrong with networking, there is something special and natural about sharing how you feel at the moment when it matters.

# 2: Leave When You Will Be Remembered

It sounds counter intuitive but it's true.

Picture this. One day your break will end and till you are hired, you will probably have to explain what you were working on just prior to your break, what you achieved, and why you left. Think long and hard about your answer. The last thing you want is to be trying to convince yourself while convincing the person sitting across from you.

You will be judged but fret not. If you left on a high note, your conviction and personal story will shine through.

# 3: Be Mentally Prepared - Noise Comes Before The Silence

Silence can be blissful, yet it can also be incredibly terrifying for those who have led hectic lives. I was a workaholic who had grown accustomed to having my to-do lists and emails playing back out loud in my head.

I had an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other shoulder. The devil wanted me to plan my next move and track my account balance, and kept reminding me of expectations others had of me. All sound advice for a realist except it was a distraction 3 months in to my break. To stay focused, I had a mental threshold for my account balance so I'd stop obsessing over my bank account and focus on spending time with loved ones, reflection (see # 4), and personal improvement (# 5). With the noise out of the way, I was able to enjoy the inner peace that came with the silence.

# 4: Schedule Time To Reflect & Discover What Makes You Tick

Give yourself the well deserved break.

Breaks can be addictive. Unless you are deliberate in reflecting, breaks can also erase memories. It is tempting to forget. But memories are essential reminders for "what makes us glow with joy", "what makes us fall to our knees", "what makes us rise to the occasion", "what makes others stop to listen".

So don't wait too long to reflect and define what makes "You" special. This could be as simple as 10 minutes flipping through photos and files, and consciously taking notes of your emotions. When you have a reasonable idea of what makes you happy, sad, angry, proud, afraid, share it with someone you can trust. You may just uncover your passion in life. Spent wisely, this quiet time is perfect for drawing connections and deriving insights you may have missed.

# 5: Take A Leap Of Faith, 'Invest' In Growth

Make every break count!

That little voice reminding you of the state of your finances will strike again but don't let it stop you from actively seeking growth opportunities. Growth can come in many forms, not just paid courses. Connecting with people, volunteering, participating in activities at co-working spaces and signing up for passion projects can introduce fresh perspectives. You just have to pay for the commute, everything else is essentially free and you may even be paid for short-term projects! And in case you're wondering, working on projects for a token sum does not affect your next salary.

These small acts help you EXPLORE YOU - your interests, values, passions. Unlike a new job, you can take yourself less seriously and experiment. You can go off on a tangent and no one will judge you for it. During this exploration phase, you may realise (1) how your past experience may be applied in an interesting way in other functions or industries, (2) how you may apply fresh perspectives to stuff you've done in the past, (3) what has been holding you back or propelling you forward.

So why am I writing this?

Career breaks are precious and temporary. As they are temporary, remember that a significant part of your break needs to be dedicated to easing your job hunt and establishing the value of this break.

Career breaks can hold keys to unlocking your true potential. There will be many distractions along the way, but remember, you can plan interventions which work for you.

Think ahead and you will not regret your next career break!