10 Tips to get back to Work after a career break or sabbatical

The article provides 10 tips to get back to work after a career break. It can be challenging to restart your career after a break. The thought of restarting your career can be daunting.  Do you want to start your career over but aren’t sure how? It doesn’t matter why you took a break from the corporate world.

What is a Career Break?

A career break, also known as a sabbatical, refers to a period of time during which an individual is not employed or has taken time off from work. Such a break can be voluntary or involuntary and may be due to reasons such as maternity leave. People take career breaks for various reasons, such as:

1. Improving work-life balance or reducing work-related stress: A monotonous work schedule, a negative work environment, and high work pressure can lead to frustration, depression, and poor performance. Many individuals take a career break to step away from a toxic work environment and regain their energy and enthusiasm before returning to work.
2. Exploring new hobbies or interests: Often, work and hobbies or interests may diverge, and after a certain period of time, individuals may feel the need to explore or nurture their hobbies and interests more than their profession. Taking a break for this reason, after achieving some financial stability, has become increasingly popular.
3. Advancing education or expanding skill set: Sometimes, to strengthen or stabilize one’s career, individuals need to acquire more educational qualifications or expand their skill set to enhance their competencies. This may require a significant amount of time. Taking a course or enrolling in a certificate program, working part-time to sharpen existing skills and build new ones, or taking time off from current work to reflect on a new career direction can be beneficial.
4. Raising children and looking after family: Raising children and caring for family members are rewarding endeavors that require love, quality time, and effort. It has become an important reason for career breaks, often as a temporary phase, as the children grow older and become more independent.
5. Relocating to a different location: Sometimes, families need to relocate to a different location for various reasons, such as a spouse’s job transfer, staying with parents, or changing schools or colleges for better education.
6. Taking care of ailing parents: In some situations, individuals may need to take a break to care for their ill parents when no one else is available to look after them.
7. Any other personal reasons: Besides the above-mentioned reasons, individuals may take career breaks for any other personal reasons.

 How to Restart the Career after a Break?

As time passes, months turn into years, and suddenly you may find yourself eager to pursue your own aspirations. In India, there is a significant number of highly qualified female employees who never return to work after having a baby, largely due to a lack of preparation for their re-entry into the workforce.

Although restarting one’s career after a break may be challenging, it is not impossible. With the right attitude, dedication, guidance, and planning, one can successfully achieve this goal. Returning to work after a sabbatical can be an exciting yet challenging experience. To make the transition smoother, there are some things you can do to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally:

1. Determine what exactly you want- Before actually looking for the job after a break, you must think about why you want to restart the work. Also, consider your needs for salary range or specific time schedule of work. Then also decide what type of job and type of role you want, whether it should be similar to the one you had before the career break, or whether you want to try something different.
   
   Focusing on what you really want out of a new job and searching that specific job search will give you a clearer perspective and increase your chances that you’ll be happy in your new role.

2. Study Current trends and refresh your skill sets- If you plan on returning to the same industry, spend time researching the companies, current situation, latest programs and software, and the variety of job opportunities. Accordingly one can improve existing skills and also start learning new ones. Even if you’re familiar with the latest program or software requirements, familiarize yourself with them again to help you get confidence.

Consider undergoing a training program to help you improve your skills. Whether you choose an in-person course or an online course, other ways to improve your skills include watching videos, reading through books, subscribing to newsletters, or attending conferences.

Returning to work after a sabbatical can be an exciting yet challenging experience. After a break, it’s natural to feel a mix of emotions, including anxiety, excitement, and uncertainty. Preparing yourself mentally and emotionally for the transition can help ease the stress and make your return to work more successful. Here are some tips on how to prepare yourself for work after a sabbatical from an emotional perspective.

3. Be open-minded, patient, and confident: Consider exploring new career opportunities, even if they’re not in your previous industry or at the same level as your previous job. Don’t let your career break undermine your confidence. Instead, focus on your strengths and accomplishments and communicate them effectively during interviews.
   The biggest barrier to returning to work after a career break is…
   -Your Confidence!!
4. Set realistic expectations- It’s essential to have realistic expectations about your return to work. You may not be able to jump back into your previous workload right away, and it may take time to get back up to speed. Setting realistic expectations for yourself and your workload can help prevent burnout and frustration.
5. Focus on the positive- Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of returning to work, try to focus on the positive. Think about the skills you developed during your break that you can bring to your job. Reflect on what you enjoyed about your previous job and what you’re looking forward to doing again.
6. Ease back into a routine- Returning to work after a sabbatical can be a significant change in your routine. It’s important to ease back into a routine gradually. Start by adjusting your sleep schedule and gradually reintroducing work-related activities, such as checking emails or attending meetings.
7. Be open to learning-If If you’ve been away from work for a while, it’s likely that there have been changes in your industry or workplace. Be open to learning new skills and processes to help you adapt to any changes that may have occurred while you were away.
8. Practice self-care- Returning to work can be stressful, so it’s crucial to practice self-care. Take breaks throughout the day to recharge, and make time for activities that you enjoy outside of work. Engaging in activities that help you relax, such as yoga or meditation, can also help you manage stress.
9. Seek support- Don’t be afraid to seek support from colleagues, friends, or family members. It’s natural to feel overwhelmed during the transition back to work, and having a support system can help you manage any challenges that arise.
10. Sharing Household Chores And Responsibilities Equally- The dual-career couples face a unique set of challenges and trade-offs. Juggling two different work schedules and household and family duties, and maintaining healthy boundaries between home life and work life are often the most difficult areas to navigate.
    You have to be strategic and disciplined about who does what, especially as your work and family roles grow which can be achieved with clear discussion and mutual understanding. Kids’ school and other activities schedules, sick parent’s doctor visits schedule, and many more such responsibilities are very much important to take care of.

You can think of looking for workplaces that offer a creche facility so that while working, you can remain stress-free regarding the child-care.

Sharing responsibilities according to each other’s strengths and interests can be a lifesaver.
Spouses sharing housework equally shows that there is a certain amount of respect in the relationship. It’s honestly the bare minimum expectation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, investing time and effort into your mental and emotional preparation for returning to work after a sabbatical can make a huge difference in your ability to manage stress, set realistic expectations, and enjoy a positive transition. Focus on the positive aspects of returning to work, take steps to ease yourself back into a routine, practice self-care, and seek support when needed. By doing so, you’ll increase your chances of a successful return to work.

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