# The 8 Stages of a Career Break: Your Step-by-Step Sabbatical Roadmap

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/taking-a-career-break-with-katrina-mcghee-7039735/the-8-stages-of-a-career-break-your-step-by-step-sabbatical-roadmap
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/taking-a-career-break-with-katrina-mcghee-7039735/the-8-stages-of-a-career-break-your-step-by-step-sabbatical-roadmap.md
Podcast: [Taking a Career Break with Katrina McGhee](https://stenobird.com/podcast/taking-a-career-break-with-katrina-mcghee-7039735)
Published: 2026-05-20T11:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wingingitproductions/episodes/The-8-Stages-of-a-Career-Break-Your-Step-by-Step-Sabbatical-Roadmap-e3jimdu
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/10363f8cc/podcast/play/120199038/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-4-19%2F424432307-44100-2-8c36592cf12c.mp3
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Duration seconds: 1602

## Resource

Episode 70 - The 8 Stages of a Career Break: Your Step-by-Step Sabbatical Roadmap In this episode of Taking a Career Break with Katrina McGhee, Katrina and James break down the complete 8-stage career break journey and explore what it really takes to move from burnout and overwhelm to a more intentional and fulfilling life. The conversation walks through the three major phases of taking a career break: before the break, during the break, and life after the break. Katrina shares her proven framework that has helped hundreds of people navigate sabbaticals, career breaks, and major life transitions with more clarity and confidence. The episode explores the importance of dreaming before making the leap, how to decide if a career break is truly the right move, and why intentional planning can completely shape the experience. Katrina also discusses the emotional side of stepping away from work, the reality of decompression, and how people can reconnect with who they truly are outside of their careers. Later in the episode, the focus shifts to reentry after a break, how to confidently return to work without losing the personal growth gained during time away, and how to build a healthier sense of work-life harmony moving forward. For anyone considering a career break, feeling burned out in their current role, or wondering whether a sabbatical could help reset their life and career, this episode provides a practical roadmap to understand the different stages of the journey and what comes next. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction to the 8 stages of a career break 01:32 – Why this roadmap was created 05:30 – Phase 1: Before the break 06:00 – Stage 1: Dreaming about what’s possible 08:27 – Stage 2: Making the decision to take a break 10:30 – Stage 3: Planning your career break bluepri…

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