Overcoming obstacles

• Money
• Difficult career decisions
• People you have to look after
• Disabilities
• The Fear

Money

Many people find that they simply don't have enough money to do a career break. It might not just be about scraping together the cash for a course, or a trip, but living without a regular salary. Or maybe you do have enough for the break itself, but worry that you might be out of work for a long time when you come back. How to deal with it:

1. Save like you've never saved before. Look at our money page for ways of saving money, and every time you buy something, think if you want it more than your career break.
2. See if you can combine work with travel. Working holiday visas are easy to obtain for Australia and New Zealand (if you're under 30), or you might go through an agency who can help get you work abroad.
3. Have some skills that can be used anywhere – if you can use a computer and answer a phone, you can work as a temp abroad, or here when you come back. Experience counts for a lot too – if you've ever worked in retail or service, you will find it easier to get a job than someone who has no experience of dealing with the public.
4. Look at the budget and money owed sheets in our money section. They'll help you figure out how much you need, and how much extra will come back after you've given up your worldly goods. (each printable link opens in a new window).

Read a case study about Tony and Erika – they saved for a year to fund their career break.

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Career decisions

If you're in an industry where there simply aren't many jobs, you could find it hard to let go of the one you have. This is particularly true of people who are fairly high up in the chain of command. Also, if you're on a sabbatical, you might be worried that they manage so well without you that your job is under threat. Ways to manage it:

1. If you're going on sabbatical, make sure you strike the right balance between doing a good handover and being indispensable. Anna returned to her job at a community centre after her sabbatical, because she was good at what she did, and popular with staff, volunteers and the local community.
2. If you work for an international company, is it possible for you to work for the same company in a different country, or a different area?
3. If you're going away for a short time, you could begin your job hunt before you leave. If you have your CV and/or portfolio in a digital format, you can email it from wherever you are. You might consider the possibility of returning home for an interview.
4. Don't forget that you can take a very short career break – perhaps a month or six weeks at the quietest time of year. The Your job page has more about this.

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People you have to look after

If you have an elderly or ill relative to take care of, going on a career break might be very difficult for you. What are your options?

1. Think about if the relative really needs your help. Could s/he manage for a few months without you? You'll need to think hard about if you're just doing it because you want to feel needed.
2. Who else is about to look after your relative? If you've been doing it for a while, is it your brother or sister's turn to look after them? What about a cousin, or a friend of the family?
3. You might be against the idea of your relative living in a care home, but at least give it some thought. There will be lots of other people around, and their needs will be taken care of. Pick a good one, and your relative will be safe, well cared for and could even be happier than where s/he is now.

If you have children, the simple thing to do is take them with you. Yes, travelling with children is hard work, but they can open doors. If you're not travelling on your career break, you might want not want the kids around while you're doing your voluntary work, or writing your book, or whatever it is. Can a friend or relative look after them, or can you work around the children's schedule? Perhaps stop work when they come home, then do some more after they've gone to bed.

The Career Break Site will soon have a special section dedicated to career breakers with kids. Sign up for our newsletter and we'll tell you when it's gone live.

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Disabilities

While it's true a disability can stop you doing some things, it can also be a bonus for some types of career breaks. Working with people who have the same disability, but not the same opportunities, could be ideal. If you want to travel on your career break and are physically impaired, there are going to be some places that will be very challenging, but not impossible. The Career Break Site knows organisations who have:

• Placed a hearing-impaired lady in a school for deaf children
• Organised an expedition in the jungle for a man with dyspraxia
• Arranged for someone with mental illness to travel abroad

So long as you're upfront about your disability, your organisation should be able to work with you. If you're doing it independently, it's vital to do your research before you even book your ticket. But you probably knew that already.

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The Fear

Of course it's scary packing in your job and skipping off to do something completely different. This is especially true if you're travelling the world – it can be quite a challenge!

Tackling The Fear:

1. Remember that if you don't do it now, you'll probably regret it.
2. Think about the worst that can happen and how you can plan for it. For example, get good travel insurance that will take care of you if you are in an accident. The things you hear about on the telly are incredibly rare – many thousands of career breakers come back each year having suffered nothing worse than a dodgy tum.
3. Talk to other career breakers – you're not the only one who is afraid. People who've already done it can hopefully assuage your fears, and show you that the small risk is worth the huge rewards.
4. Stop thinking about the fear and just do it.

Rachel almost didn't do her career break, because she was afraid to travel. But she went anyway – read her case study.

Where next?

• Back to the Stuck? page
• Take me to some Inspirations
• I want to start Planning my career break
• Back to homepage
• Back to top