With burnout levels the highest they've ever been, many adults are looking into a new trend: the "grown up gap year." In this newsletter we are looking into what exactly this is, how to go about doing it and if it's actually feasible.
THE BENEFITS OF TAKING A GROWN UP GAP YEAR
"A gap on your CV would often be viewed as a negative for a candidate keen to make themselves stand out from the crowd in the ever-competitive job market – as a result, people would have been previously reluctant to take a career break, or a sabbatical. No longer. One person’s career break is another person’s ‘grown-up gap year’ and, owing to a change in attitudes to professionals pausing their careers to focus on a range of different options, including childcare, charity work, building a dream home or travelling the world, there is no longer the stigma around simply taking a break.
In fact, two-thirds of workers in a survey conducted by LinkedIn have taken a career break before, and more than a third would like to take one in the future. The gap year was previously reserved for young people coming out of university before taking their first job, but with the news that popular destination Australia has relaxed rules for those looking to do so, this could become even more popular for those in their 30s.
Taking a year out is something that can have benefits for the career of professionals if it is done in a way that is purposeful and well thought out." Learn more
THIS SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR DECIDED TO TAKE AN ADULT GAP YEAR
"In the last year however, something clicked — and Blain realized she needed a break. Not physically, but mentally and emotionally. That’s when the idea of a sabbatical, or an “adult gap year” was born. “Everything in my life that I said I was going to do, I’ve done. Every goal that I set out to achieve, I’ve done it and I still didn’t feel what you expect to feel when you’ve accomplished all your goals,” shares Blain. The struggle with burnout is real. Black women know this all too well. And unfortunately, by the time we realize, it’s often too late. A gap year isn’t just good for your personal development but for your career development, mental health as well. The experience can be a platform to learn new skills, get heads down on business goals, to leverage the unfamiliar to refresh your creativity, as well as to toughen you up as you overcome challenges on the road." Learn more
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