Danica Nelson is a career break coach and expert helping professionals plan and take career breaks and sabbaticals with clarity and confidence. Through her platform, Liberty Leave™, she teaches burnt-out women how to pause, plan, and pivot into more aligned careers and lives.
How to Know When It’s Time to Take a Career Break
As a career break coach who helps women plan purposeful career breaks/sabbaticals, I see one thing happen far too often: they wait until severe burnout leaves them with no choice but to step away from their jobs immediately.
They push through brain fog, the Sunday Scaries, 10+ hour workdays, and the panic that hits each time their phone vibrates because they feel like an extended break feels like a luxury they cannot afford or don’t deserve. Most don’t realize how far gone they are until their bodies force them to slow down.
Before my first career break (or what I call my “Liberty Leave”) in 2019, I found myself in the exact same situation:
I was climbing the corporate ladder, building my personal brand, and juggling side hustles.
I was perpetually exhausted, but I convinced myself that exhaustion was the price of ambition.
I pushed through because I believed that my efforts would pay off soon.
They didn’t.
Instead, I hit a wall. I could barely focus at work, I felt like I lost my spark, and I realized that if I didn’t take a step back from work by choice, my body would make that choice for me.
@danicasnelson This is how moving to Malaga, Spain for a year (from Toronto, Canada) changed my life 🙏🏾❤️ #libertyleave #malaga #movetospain #spain #youthmobilityvisa #workingholidayvisa #careerbreak #moveabroad #inflammation #vitamind ♬ original sound - Danica | travel & finance
If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Here are a few signs to look out for before you reach the same point:
1. Rest doesn’t work like it used to
Weekends, vacations, or “self-care days” aren’t recharging you. These short breaks only scratch the surface of the recovery your nervous system really needs.
2. You constantly daydream of quitting or being laid off
You may be performing well at work, but inside, you feel disconnected and demotivated. The days blur together. You’re forcing it because you’re grateful to have a job, but deep down, you know you’ve outgrown this version of yourself and are in desperate need of something different.
3. You’ve lost your spark
Things that once brought you joy are now draining you. You no longer look forward to hobbies that once lit you up because you’d prefer to isolate yourself at home, nap, mindlessly scroll, or all of the above.
4. You feel like you’ve done everything “right”, but something still feels wrong
You’ve checked all of the boxes, like getting a good job with a stable income, and you have a relatively good life, but something still feels… off. You’re confused by your lack of fulfillment and too drained to brainstorm what should come next.
5. You’ve stopped celebrating your wins
Milestones that used to excite you, like a raise, a launch, or a positive performance review, have started to feel lackluster. You feel numb to the success and accolades you once craved.
Giving yourself permission to take the time and space to reflect on what you want next for your life and career, and to design a life that feels aligned, is the ultimate gift to give yourself.
When I took my first career break, I became much clearer on my “why.” That purposeful pause allowed me to finally slow down long enough to hear myself think. I reconnected with my values, questioned what success truly meant to me, and discovered the courage to recreate my path in a way that aligned closer to the woman I’d become.
If you’re wondering if it’s time to take your career break, start with this free “Am I Ready for a Career Break?” checklist. It’ll help you understand if it’s time to pause, plan, and pivot into a life that feels more aligned.
Want to learn more about planning your sabbatical? Listen to my Girlboss Radio episode here.
MORE CAREER-BREAK ADVICE FROM DANICA
How to Talk About a Career Break (Without Hurting Your Job Prospects)
How To Afford a Career Break Without Draining Your Savings
4 Types of Career Breaks That Can Actually Change Your Life
