The Career Building Benefits of Intentional Breaks

Taking time off will benefit both the employee and the employer and could serve as the antidote to burnout

I was six years into my career when I finally worked up the nerve and saved enough money to take my first big “adventure break”. When I told most people in the U.S. that I was going to take three months off to go see and experience the other side of the world, achieving a long-awaited post-collegiate dream, I was met with concern and confusion.

Friends and family were concerned about me losing my employer-tied healthcare, the unusual gap in my career, what this might mean for my future job prospects, and more. I thought about all of this on my flight from New York to New Zealand, and wondered if I had made the right decision.

? Elizabeth W. Sayen

However, when I got to Auckland and told my non-American tour mates that I was taking an “entire three months off” they looked at me with a different sort of confusion. They asked why I did not take the whole year, something that had never even occurred to me. The difference in mindset was both shocking and inspiring.

This first intentional break experience taught me more about myself, what work-life balance could be, and how breaking the status quo and taking strategic risks is essential to who I am as a person and employee.

It is key to say that these breaks can (and should) be as varied as the people who are taking them. As someone who has now taken three intentional breaks — Australia/New Zealand (2013), Europe (2017), and now Spain (2021/22) — I choose to focus my time on international travel and learning. Others might want to accomplish a skill, care for a loved one, change their roles, etc. The location, focus, and length can vary, but what matters more is committing to the mindset of immersing oneself fully in a new experience.?

This article focuses on the benefits gained from intentionally taking time away and how they can influence and improve the contributions you bring to a company and team.?

Disruption and Change

As we think and talk about the future of work, I am a fierce advocate for progress and rethinking the way we do things. I believe the corporate world is on the cusp of a new paradigm where things like “adventure breaks” will be celebrated, supported and routine.?

The pandemic has already changed so much of what we thought we knew about work and careers and it is not done yet. “The Great Resignation” is forcing employers to take notice and rethink how to retain talent. This upheaval of immense change in the workplace over the last two years is both dizzying and liberating. Where we are going next is exciting, a space ripe for innovation and change.

? Elizabeth W. Sayen

Employees are quitting in unprecedented numbers. McKinsey & Co. reported that “more than 19 million U.S. workers — and counting — have quit their jobs since April 2021.” [article published September 2021] McKinsey believes that “by not understanding what their employees are running from, and what they might gravitate to, company leaders are putting their very businesses at risk.”?

According to the World Economic Forum , “by disrupting people’s routines, the pandemic has reawakened in many the deep seated desire for a job they actually enjoy — a desire that has long been suppressed.” It has given us time to think about how we want to be spending our precious time, proven that remote work and productivity can happen concurrently, and about what we would like to be contributing to the world.??

Adaptation and Rewards

Employees are looking for more flexibility and to be rewarded for their efforts, no longer just with bonuses and stock, but also with time and freedom. Some companies are attempting to adapt and appeal to employee interests by making adjustments to their policies with hybrid work environments, remote jobs, four day work weeks, shared roles and unlimited PTO models.

Many companies, like Deloitte , Adobe and Charles Schwab , are ahead of the curve and are already offering sabbaticals and mini-sabbaticals as perks. Offering incentivized breaks (i.e. work for three years, give three months off) could be a key differentiator and attractor for companies that want to stay competitive in the post-pandemic job market.

? Elizabeth W. Sayen

The makeup of the workforce and the attitudes that go along with that, are changing. In her 2019 Forbes article , Caroline Castrillon highlighted? “a recent report by ManpowerGroup shows that 84% of Millennials foresee significant career breaks along the way. This trend reinforces the idea that "career waves” are replacing the “career ladder” of earlier generations.” A little over two years later, with a global pandemic and more Gen Zs entering the job market, I have a hunch it is even higher.

If sabbaticals are not yet offered at your company, consider taking an “adventure break”. I firmly believe they have helped shape me as a person, influenced my choices as an employee and enhanced my contributions as a teammate.

Benefits of Breaks

If this is not something you have considered before or you are currently weighing the risks and rewards, here are some of the ways “adventure breaks” can positively affect careers and lives.

Helps to avoid burnout

Burnout is real. As described by Ninaus, Diehl and Terlutter in Elsevier’s Journal for Business Research,? “Burnout can be defined as physical, emotional and mental exhaustion that is perceived by a person in relation to his/her work. (1) It is a negative reaction to prolonged work situations that are emotionally demanding (2) and is accompanied by physical fatigue, cognitive weariness (3), cynicism and reduced professional efficacy (4)."

The isolation, monotony and increased stress have only been further highlighted in the pandemic. One of the best ways to combat burnout is to have some external motivation and something you are working towards. Whatever you are looking forward to doing in your time off can serve as a beacon to guide you to something that will enhance your life in a completely new way.

Photo by Scott Goodwill on Unsplash

Gain balance

As we continue to advance in our lives, we tend to acquire more responsibilities and obligations. While some of these things can be fulfilling and positive, it can be tricky to find that balance. “Adventure breaks” allow you to cut down, literally and figuratively, boxing up parts of your life that you can revisit post-break, to focus intently on what is in front of you. The experiences and items that filled your life, might not be what truly brings you fulfillment.?

As Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus of The Minimalists say, it is not about focusing on less, but “making room for more: more time, more peace, more creativity, more experiences, more contribution, more contentment, more freedom.”

As someone who spent a year living out of a backpack and then a small suitcase, I highly recommend intentionally reducing possessions to free your brain to focus on quality over quantity. Then you can bring back the items that enhance your life. This balance and thoughtfulness can serve you in corporate settings with bringing clarity and focus to teams.

? Elizabeth W. Sayen

Perspective and Empathy

Taking time away from the same day-to-day routine has helped me appreciate little things more, both personally and professionally, and learn about other cultures and viewpoints. As a UX Designer, empathy is critical to understanding users and properly advocating for their needs in our product experiences. I believe empathy is linked to Emotional Intelligence (or EQ) and is a muscle that needs regular attention and strengthening. I also believe it comes more easily to some people and other people have to work harder to build it. Having perspective and empathy will increase your connection and understanding in relationships — both those at work and in your personal life.

? Elizabeth W. Sayen

Patience and Adaptability

Navigating a break can be stressful, in general, but even more so when things do not go as planned. Learning to be patient and adaptable in these situations will strengthen your confidence and teach you that you can handle anything. All of this comes in handy when on a team and the inevitable curveballs come your way. You adapt well because you know how to stay calm and handle the swerve.

Photo by Jess Loiterton from Pexels

Problem Solving

One of the main things an interviewer will ask you is how adept you are at problem solving. “Adventure breaks” can be a way to speak about an experience that is not within the confines of a corporate building, but possibly an even more colorful example of thinking on your feet, acting from experience and intuition, and strategic risk analysis in the moment. All things that will help you be a dynamic team member and critical asset to any team.?

? Elizabeth W. Sayen

Resilience and Perseverance

Anyone who has climbed a real or figurative mountain before knows how important resilience is when adversity or long uphill climbs meet you on the trail. “Adventure breaks” might require this consistent effort for weeks or months on end. Mental (and sometimes physical) endurance that is needed for intensive corporate projects, campaigns, and product builds can be honed on the break and later implemented. Like on the mountain, you sometimes will not know if you are making progress towards your goals, but your perseverance will kick in until you find your way to the end goal.

Photo by Eric Sanman from Pexels

Take the risk

Taking an “adventure break” requires a lot of planning, staying focused on a long-term goal, sacrificing to save funds, and endless moral support and cheerleading from loved ones. It also requires an unwavering belief that taking the risk will provide a new and irreplaceable dimension of learning and growth that you could not achieve by staying in your current position, company, geographic location or general situation.

I am here to tell you, it is worth it. I have been fortunate to work at some incredible companies on some of the best teams and would not trade those experiences for anything. I have also traveled an unconventional route and rewarded myself along the way for hard work, dedication, and have taken advantage of, or created, transitional moments. Both realms of my life reflect, influence and complement each other. It is impossible to separate my love for both.?

The companies that add a benefit, such as incentivized breaks, that support the growth, dreams and purpose of their employees outside of work, will increase loyalty and attract talent inside of work. They will also benefit from the inevitably enhanced employee that returns revitalized, inspired, fulfilled, and engaged.

I, for one, am a thorough and curious traveler, who is also a devoted employee, that brings my complete self to the roles, projects, adventures, and teams that I join.?

My goal is to thrive at both and help others do the same.

? Elizabeth W. Sayen

Elsevier's References:

1. ?Kristensen et al., 2005 , Koeske and Koeske, 1993
2. ?Pines and Aronson, 1988 , Schaufeli and Greenglass, 2001
3. Kristensen et al., 2005 , Shirom, 2011
4. ?Maslach, Schaufeli, & Leiter, 2001