How a Career Break Can Help Restore Your Passions

We have a habit of overworking ourselves, overcommitting our schedules and following routines that don’t make us happy. If you feel like you’re approaching burnout with your career or coming to a point where you just need a break, it might be time to take one.

Although career breaks seem uncommon, there are many valid reasons to take one and the benefits can be huge. Stress can take over our lives and work stress seems hard to escape even after hours. Pressing “pause” on your professional life gives you time to step away from these stressors, discover yourself and redirect how you should be living. Breaks, both mental and physical, are necessary for us to rest and recover from everyday life.

What you decide to do on your career break is totally up to you. Explore and travel around different countries or meditate and escape into some peaceful scenery. Take up a new hobby or learn a skill you’ve always wanted to master, whether it’s improving your cooking or learning a new language. You may even be able to turn your hobby into a business during your career break. Writing, photography, art and teaching are all hobbies that can be turned into a passion project. If you do expect to return to the workforce, use this time to invest in yourself and enhance the way you run your life.

This infographic (created by Bestow) points out reasons people take career breaks and how to come back more prepared than ever to take on your life.