HAVING THE TIME (OUT) OF YOUR LIFE

If you’re facing a quarter-life crisis or feeling burnt out, taking a career break to do something out of the box may do you a world of good.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

If you’re facing a quarter-life crisis or feeling burnt out, taking a career break to do something out of the box may do you a world of good.

According to Grant Torrens, Business Director at Hays Singapore, a career hiatus can be an opportunity for growth and self-discovery. “It’s never too late to broaden your horizons and discover talents you never knew you had. Such sabbaticals are also helpful in a career burnout as it helps people keep things in perspective,” he explains. 

However, there’s a flip side—you may feel disconnected from your industry or even unsure about your capabilities when you return. Two women share what it was like to take a long-term break from work. “In 2010, my best friend bought me a week’s trial at a yoga studio—I fell in love with yoga so much that I started to plan my work around my time on the mat! 

My Reading Room

Leigh currently teaches at Hom Yoga 

My Reading Room

Leigh (far right) made life-long friends during the yoga retreat in Bali 

LEIGH KHOO, 32, LEFT HER JOB AS A WRITER/EDITOR IN 2013 TO SPEND A MONTH DOING YOGA TEACHER TRAINING IN BALI. SHE IS NOW A YOGA TEACHER. 

For the first time, I felt what it was like for my body to move the way I wanted it to. The philosophy, mythology and subtle yogic practices felt like home—almost like I’ve been thirsty my whole life and was finally given water to drink! 

I quit my job and trained with Emily Kuser (founder of High Vibe Yoga) at The Yoga Barn in Bali for a month. We started at 7am and ended by 6pm, and some days there were special night sessions like Tibetan Bowl Meditation that lasted long into the night. 

On the first day, I struggled with introducing myself. I had referred to myself as a writer, but I was no longer one! I realised how much the roles I played in life—daughter, niece, employee, boss and so on—defined me up till then. It was tough getting to know myself all over again. 

I blew all my savings in Bali, and came home with $17 in my bank account! I’d planned to have a six-month nest egg before I went, and pretty much poured all my savings at that time into supplementing my training along with paying for extras like flight tickets, accommodation and food. 

Thankfully, my boyfriend (now husband) was deeply supportive. I started teaching classes on my own almost immediately while picking up freelance writing and editing work on the side. I landed a part-time job at Hom Yoga about half a year later. The role turned full-time in a few months, so I was able to get financially stable very quickly.” 

“I BLEW ALL MY SAVINGS IN BALI, COMING HOME WITH $17 IN MY BANK ACCOUNT!” 

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Jezreel (far left) having lunch with her students in Laos 

My Reading Room

Jezreel (left) with a Laotian colleague 

JEZREEL SEE, 31, QUIT HER JOB AS A TEACHER IN 2014 TO TEACH ENGLISH IN LAOS FOR THREE MONTHS. SHE IS NOW AN EVENT MANAGER. 

“I was drawn to volunteer in Laos as I love meeting and interacting with people from different cultures. It allowed me to explore a country beyond touring, share through teaching, and learn and stretch my own abilities both in and out of the classroom. 

I had the chance to sit in and co-teach for the first week to understand the language abilities of the students. I taught them skills that were relevant to them as government officers, mainly conversational English and reading English news. 

When I came back to Singapore, I applied for jobs related to education. I was excited about trying something new and growing along the way. But then I got into event programming, which involves conceptualising and executing events. I learnt to use the skills I picked up from teaching, travelling and volunteering in my new role but there was a lot to learn on the job too, particularly since it was still a different scope of work. 

The biggest challenge was having to start at the bottom of the ladder, but I have no regrets. My time in Laos was one of the best experiences I’ve had, one that allowed me to experience the country in a way that I would otherwise not have had a chance to. 

My family was supportive of my decision to live in Laos for a while. In fact, my parents like it when my siblings and I live somewhere different because they can come by for a holiday!” 

BEFORE YOU TAKE THE PLUNGE…

Thinking about taking a leap of faith and going on sabbatical? Grant Torrens suggests you consider the objective for it. 

For example, it could be to pick up skills that will enhance your CV. If the aim is to just take a breather after years of climbing the corporate ladder, that’s also fine. 

“From self-discovery and overall rejuvenation to adding value to your portfolio to impress prospective employers, a clear goal will help you make your career break a fruitful one,” he says. 

Grant also recommends keeping abreast of industry happenings, so you won’t feel out of touch when you return to work. For example, you could read press releases and publications for industry news. 

IMAGES UNSPLASH.COM (BEAUTIFUL), HOM YOGA, LEIGH KHOO, JEZREEL SEE