A Semi-Planned Sabbatical and Returning to Work:
Right before the holidays last year, I was laid off with half my team and 10% of the company.
I didn’t realize how burnt out I was until I got the news. I was out of a job, but oddly relieved.
Though my team itself was great and I was fortunate to have the flexibility of a remote position, 2020-2023 had worn me out (for all the obvious reasons and then some).
Those who know me well know that I had always hoped to take a sabbatical in my 30s. For this reason, as well as the inherent volatility of the tech industry, I’ve always saved and invested a majority of my income. To be clear, I’m no finance whiz. My parents taught me financial literacy from an early age and I’ve also been privileged to make enough money to save (telling someone making minimum wage to follow the “50/30/20 rule” is lunacy).
In the days after the layoff, I weighed the risks and benefits of a sabbatical. Ultimately, I decided to go for it. For 3 months there would be no work, no applications, no portfolio updates.
Despite the risk of a career gap (let’s be real, corporate America still frowns on gaps), I believe in the mantra “work to live, don’t live to work.” So, it was time to do some living!
During my sabbatical, I visited Puerto Rico with family. I snorkeled in the ocean, kayaked in bioluminescent lagoons, and hiked in the rainforest.
I took a solo-trip to Iceland where I saw the aurora borealis, hiked glacier caves, soaked in geothermal pools, pet mini-horses, and saw many waterfalls.
Back home, I finished long-postponed house projects and explored my own “backyard” of the pacific northwest.
Come April 2024, I began my return to “work”. I updated my portfolio, volunteered, and took on a freelance web design project for a local non-profit (more on that soon!).
Having space to exist outside of the corporate world allowed me to check things off my bucket list AND it freed me to think deeply about what I want my career to look like. I’m hoping to put some of that into writing in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out! Or mute me now 😉
In the meantime, I’m taking on freelance projects and applying to the occasional full-time position when it feels aligned with my goals i.e. largely in the health tech, ed tech, and personal finance spaces. If you want to connect about a freelance project or FT role, reach out! Or if you just want to catch up, let’s get coffee or go for a walk!
It’s a tough economy and an even tougher job market right now, so for the sake of brevity, I left out the numerous waves of anxiety and doubt I’ve also been riding the last few months. I feel strongly that I’m making the right decisions for my long-term career, but it’s not without emotional and financial strain. If you’ve been struggling in this job market, no matter how long it’s been since we’ve spoken, please reach out if I can help in any way! As the saying goes: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
