I have always considered myself an ambitious and career-oriented woman. I never thought I would be taking a career break at 42. But life happens, and here I am.
I want to share how this time can become a period of reflection, growth, and productivity instead of feeling like time lost.
Why am I Taking a Career Break at 42?
I had just found what seemed like a wonderful job with good pay and benefits. After several job experiences, I even told myself that this might be the job I would eventually retire from.
However, not everything that shines is gold, and sometimes we are simply not meant to stay in certain places. Many things happened that made me realize that the environment was not right for me, and emotionally I was not feeling well. I had also outgrown the constant “climb the corporate ladder” mentality and began wanting to redefine success on my own terms.
At the same time, I knew something was going on with my health, but I could not pinpoint exactly what it was. I started experiencing physical symptoms that began to worry me. Because of this, I made the difficult decision to quit and take a long break from work to focus on my health and well-being and I am thankful that I did.
As I write this, three months after resigning, I am actually in a hospital bed. I experienced severe pain and had to be admitted to the hospital for a week. The doctors diagnosed me with an autoimmune disease, and the first thing they told me was to avoid stress.
I thank God because I cannot imagine going through this while working and raising a child at the same time. It would have made the condition even worse.
So there you have it, sometimes there is a breaking point. Even if I had not chosen to resign and take a break, life would have forced me to take one anyway. That is life.
I could sit and cry all day about how unfair life is, or I can use this time to continue learning, developing new skills, and working on my blog. I can choose to make something meaningful out of this season.
Your Reasons are Valid
Maybe you are considering a career break because you are burned out, or maybe you want to stay home with your children for a while.
Whatever the reason may be, do not let anyone make you feel less because of it. Every family has struggles that others cannot see.
What matters most is your health and your family. If you are financially able to take a break and feel that it is necessary, then do it. Sometimes we delay important decisions because of fear, because of what people might say, or because we keep hoping things will improve. Unfortunately, this can lead us to live unhappy lives without a true sense of purpose.
Tips to Stay Productive
Taking a break at 42 has been a blessing because it allows me to focus on my daughter, care for my health, and navigate this new chapter of my life.
Sometimes breaks are exactly what we need to regain productivity. If you are constantly stressed, overwhelmed, exhausted, and unhappy, it becomes very difficult to be productive in any area of your life.
However, taking a break does not mean doing nothing. Some people take breaks so seriously that they become completely disengaged and lose motivation. Instead, you want to continue setting goals and working toward new opportunities that excite you.
1. Think of Your Next Step
Do you want to stay in your current field, or are you thinking about changing careers?
A career break can be the perfect moment to reflect on what you truly want to do. Maybe you want to start a blog, launch a small business, or work part-time to achieve better work-life balance.
Take time to think about what will truly make you happy and start researching your options.
2. Focus on Professional Development
Use this time to learn new skills. These could be skills you wish you had learned at your previous job, areas you want to improve, or skills related to a completely new career path.
When you eventually return to the workforce, being able to talk about the skills you developed during your break can be a positive thing. It shows that you continued learning and investing in yourself.
For example, if you want to build an online business or blog, there are many skills to learn such as search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, writing, website creation, and digital marketing.
3. Take Action
After reflecting on your life, creating a plan, and learning new skills, the next step is to take action.
If you want to start a business, think about your niche, how you will generate income (for example through digital products or courses), and how you will promote your work.
If you want to change careers, continue learning the tools and software used in that field. Read about important concepts and processes so you can speak confidently about them. You can also connect with professionals in that field and ask about their experiences, including the pros, cons, and lessons they have learned.
4. Enjoy the Process
Set small deadlines for yourself to stay accountable. Try waking up each morning and approaching your day with purpose, as if this were your job, just without the additional stress.
Enjoy this time to grow and learn at your own pace. When you are passionate about something, you will naturally feel motivated to keep working on it. At first, it may feel difficult to get started, but over time ideas will begin to flow and things will become easier.
Final Thoughts
If you are taking a career break at 42, I want you to know that even though it may feel scary, it might be exactly what you need right now to recharge and come back stronger.
Taking a break does not make you a failure. Sometimes it is simply part of the journey toward a healthier and more meaningful life.
Best wishes,
Mel
