The Power of Pause: Why I take career breaks and why you should too

A fellow executive came to me for advice. Her company was restructuring, and she had two choices—accept a role that felt meh... or take a package that would let her step away for a year. My response? Definitely don’t do the thing that resembles the grim reaper. And if it were me? I’d take the year off in a heartbeat before finding a new role.

Started my 2025 sabbatical with an adventure in India with friends

To give her some context about my experience with "less equals more," I shared that every 3–5 years, I somehow carve out meaningful time away from work. These breaks have been invaluable, helping me live my most exciting, fulfilling, and productive life. My first real "sabbatical" happened during the tech downturn in 2000. I was a management consultant in High Tech, and to cut costs while retaining employees, many companies offered short-term leave packages. We kept our health benefits and received 10% of our salary for 6 or 12 months before returning when the industry rebounded.

Getting approval to leave was tough, but my mentor went to bat for me—on one condition: I had to agree to just six months. I spent the first two months saddling horses and guiding greenhorns at a ranch in the mountains, then traveled Italy for two more with another consultant on leave.

At this point in my career, I felt deeply conflicted. As an avid rock climber, skier, and surfer, I struggled with my corporate job as "selling out to the man." The allure of low-commitment work and the freedom to chase snow and waves was strong. My time at the ranch was filled with crisp mountain air, hands perpetually rough from packing mules and climbing granite, and muscles aching in the best way after long days spent outdoors. But scraping by still came with all-too-familiar work challenges. And while I loved the simplicity of ranch life, my brain craved the mental flexing that comes from solving complex business problems. That realization hit me like a lightning bolt to a tree. The last two months of my six-month leave were spent setting up a permanent residence in Lake Tahoe, where I could easily fly in and out of Reno for consulting work. My newfound career commitment was evident when my mentor said, "I thought you were an amazing resource before, but after the break, you came back even BETTER!"

Since then, I’ve orchestrated several significant career breaks. My family places bets on how long I’ll last "unemployed" before something exciting finds me. I’ve taken leave when my kids were born, when I wanted to pursue a passion, and when I was laid off. Each time, these breaks helped me understand myself better, refine my priorities, and align my actions—leading to a richer, more impactful life.

My last sabbatical was right before COVID. My career no longer excited me, and I had planned a year off to explore what would make me want to leap out of bed with a grin on my face. I lasted three months before a friend needed help with a turnaround. After that project wrapped, I resumed my break, spending nine months trying on different hats that caught my eye. Because of the personal success others experienced under my leadership, colleagues pushed me to become a coach. I gave it a shot and quickly realized coaching one-on-one was as satisfying as drinking a flat, warm coke on a hot summer day. My superpower is seeing the whole picture and orchestrating the development of individuals within the system so that everyone and the organization reach their highest potential. Just as I came to that realization, an opportunity arose to help a company that diagnoses stroke issues caused by COVID and had a lot of operational issues. A perfect win-win-win: I got to do what I love, earn income to support my family during uncertain times, and help alleviate suffering caused by the pandemic.

As I write this, I’m targeting 12–24 months off. That number is loose—it’s simply permission to wander. I'm nearing the midpoint of the average human lifespan, and the weight of the "householder phase"—teenagers, aging parents, house repairs, and health concerns—has been a heavy load as a single mom. This is my time to rest, reflect, and renew.

Already, I’ve had powerful insights. One lightning-strike moment? I caught myself annoyed by a rough interaction with a family member. In my frustration, I wished I had a board meeting or a critical business initiative to distract me. That realization smacked me in the head like a rogue frisbee at a family barbecue. While I claim family is a priority, my instinct to escape into work revealed a deeper belief: that "providing for my family" and "career success" were more important than fostering deep relationships. With no board meetings to hide behind, I’ve been learning new skills to create even more loving, supportive, and soul-expanding relationships.

If you’re thinking, "Good for her—she has the money/time/courage to do this. She has no idea what I’m going through." I ask: "What is stopping you from making this your reality?" You can check out my other blogs on goal-setting and career resilience at www.christinacloh.com. I guarantee there are people with tougher situations than yours who have risen above where you think you may want to be. Seek out their stories and learn. And if you feel any envy or resentment as you read this, take a closer look—because that feeling might lead you to the story holding you back from doing what calls to you.

For those lucky enough to have time off—whether planned or unexpected—here’s what I’ve found useful. Feel free to add your own insights in the comments:

• Set Rough Themes: My personal themes for my 2025/26 sabbatical are:

• Perfect health

• Garbage* time with my kids

• Exploring life with AI

• Building a vibrant local community

• Stay Organized While Staying Present: Being fully present, especially with family, can sometimes leave me feeling unaccomplished by the end of the day. Each morning, I create a simple list to keep me on track. Then, I do what excites me most. At day’s end, I reflect on all I’ve done, ensuring I don’t feel the day was wasted.

• Make Unpleasant Tasks Exciting: If something on my list feels like a drag, I find a way to make it enjoyable. Example: I recently had a catastrophic water leak. Some suggested selling my house, but we love it here. So, I found new contractors who were fun to work with, transforming a headache into an enriching experience for everyone involved.

So if you get to take an extended break—embrace it! Enjoy it! Let it shape you into an even better version of yourself, for the benefit of everyone around you.

*Thank you, Jerry Seinfeld, for coining this term.

** Thank you ChatGPT 2025 for editing support