Episode 49 - Revisiting Episode 4 - Can You Afford A Career Break?

Welcome to Episode 49, and as we approach the end of the calendar year, Katrina and James are going to pick two episodes each from our catalogue that people should definitely check out.

This week, it is James' turn and he picks Episode 4 - Can You Afford A Career Break?

If we are honest with ourselves, any subject relating to money like a career break, a holiday, a house, a car or an expensive purchase, the first thing that comes to mind is can you afford it?

With a career break, this is no different.

Katrina shares her story of clearing debts and saving money at the same time to go on a career break and James shares his stories from working low paying job but still being able to travel long term afterwards.

An intriguing episode and one you should definitely listen to, check it out and let us know what you think.

Timestamps

00:00 Exploring the Topic of Money and Career Breaks

02:28 Budgeting for Your Career Break

14:45 Can You Afford a Break?

21:15 Join BreakSpace

Listen now and reclaim control of your career break journey.

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into career growth, work-life balance, and mental resilience.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and every podcast app!

📩 Got a story about your own career break journey? DM us or leave a review—we’d love to hear from you!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us today to begin your journey.

BreakSpace - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gobreakspace.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Schedule a call with Katrina - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kmcgheecoaching.as.me/schedule.php⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Order Katrina's book - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kmcgheecoaching.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email - takingacareerbreakwithkatrina@gmail.com

Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/takingacareerbreak/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Produced by Winging It Productions - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.wingingitproductions.com⁠

Episode 48 - The Future of Career Breaks in 2026: Trends, Data & Why More People Are Taking Sabbaticals

In this episode, James and Katrina explore an important question as 2026 approaches: Are career breaks becoming more accepted and normalised, or is the movement slowing down? The conversation reveals a clear answer — the momentum behind sabbaticals is stronger than ever.

James invites Katrina to break down the real trends she’s seeing through her coaching, BreakSpace community, and the growing volume of research on the topic. Katrina explains why the demand for sabbaticals keeps increasing, how major platforms like LinkedIn and Harvard Business Review have validated the trend, and why people are feeling more empowered to take intentional time off.

They also discuss the most powerful driver behind the rise of career breaks — seeing other real people do it. Whether through personal networks or storytelling, this visibility creates a ripple effect that encourages others to take the leap.

The episode touches on burnout, shifting work culture, and why more professionals are questioning the traditional path. James and Katrina also share details about a new 2026 mini-series featuring powerful, real career break stories from individuals Katrina has supported first-hand.

For anyone considering a sabbatical, dealing with burnout, or simply curious about the future of the movement, this episode offers clarity, inspiration, and practical insight. Katrina also shares resources and ways listeners can begin exploring their own break.

A reflective, energizing, and forward-looking episode as the show heads toward an exciting 2026.

As always, if you’re enjoying this podcast, please leave us a 5-star rating, share this episode with someone who needs to hear it, and subscribe so you never miss a new conversation.

Timestamps

00:00 — Welcome
00:49 — How accepted are career breaks heading into 2026?
02:20 — What LinkedIn’s Career Break feature tells us
04:00 — The role of seeing someone else take a break
06:00 — Why the great resignation accelerated the trend
08:10 — Burnout, bore-out, and why work is becoming unsustainable
09:21 — BreakSpace: the community supporting hundreds of breaks
10:00 — The power of real personal stories (and our 2026 mini-series)
12:40 — Why everything feels impossible until someone else does it
15:00 — How Katrina supports people through coaching and BreakSpace
17:30 — Looking ahead to 2026 and what’s coming on the podcast
19:00 — A preview of James’s trip to Bhutan

Listen now and reclaim control of your career break journey.

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into career growth, work-life balance, and mental resilience.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and every podcast app!

📩 Got a story about your own career break journey? DM us or leave a review—we’d love to hear from you!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us today to begin your journey.

BreakSpace - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gobreakspace.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Schedule a call with Katrina - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kmcgheecoaching.as.me/schedule.php⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Order Katrina's book - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kmcgheecoaching.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email - takingacareerbreakwithkatrina@gmail.com

Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/takingacareerbreak/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Produced by Winging It Productions - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.wingingitproductions.com⁠

Episode 47 - The 5 Essential Ground Rules for a Successful Career Break

In Episode 47 of Taking a Career Break with Katrina McGhee, Katrina and James sit down in person to explore the five essential ground rules for creating a successful, fulfilling, and regret-free career break.

Together, they walk through what it truly means to define a personal version of success, why planning the re-entry phase before the break even begins can transform the experience, and how understanding the financial side of a break brings clarity and confidence. They also dig into the emotional reality of disconnecting from work in a hyper-connected world and discuss why bringing focus back onto oneself remains the cornerstone of a meaningful break.

Katrina shares insights from coaching more than 200 clients, including real examples of navigating uncertainty, emotional lows, financial fears, and the pressure to stay productive. The conversation highlights how a well-structured break can help listeners step out of burnout and step into a healthier, more intentional life.

This episode is designed for anyone considering a break, planning one, or struggling to make sense of time away from work. With a mix of practical advice and heartfelt honesty, James and Katrina offer a roadmap to make any career break purposeful, aligned, and transformative.

As always, if you’re enjoying this podcast, please leave us a 5-star rating, share this episode with someone who needs to hear it, and subscribe so you never miss a new conversation.

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to Episode 47
00:50 – Why ground rules matter for a career break
02:10 – Rule #1: Create your own definition of success
06:40 – Can your definition of success change mid-break?
07:55 – Why your purpose should remain consistent
10:30 – Rule #2: Plan for your re-entry period
13:00 – What happens when you don’t feel ready to return to work
16:40 – How Katrina landed 5 job offers in 5 weeks
20:00 – Rule #3: Know your numbers
25:00 – Budgeting vs saving — and how it impacts your break
27:30 – Extending your break with smart financial planning
31:10 – Rule #4: Disconnect from the working world
34:20 – Why LinkedIn is the enemy of a peaceful break
37:00 – Managing FOMO, comparison, and work-related anxiety
41:00 – Rule #5: Put the focus back on yourself
45:15 – Setting boundaries with others and with yourself
48:00 – Bringing your break back to your purpose
50:30 – Why the final five ground rules are in the book
51:20 – Wrap-up and takeaway message

Listen now and reclaim control of your career break journey.

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into career growth, work-life balance, and mental resilience.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and every podcast app!

📩 Got a story about your own career break journey? DM us or leave a review—we’d love to hear from you!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us today to begin your journey.

BreakSpace - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gobreakspace.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Schedule a call with Katrina - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kmcgheecoaching.as.me/schedule.php⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Order Katrina's book - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kmcgheecoaching.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email - takingacareerbreakwithkatrina@gmail.com

Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/takingacareerbreak/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Produced by Winging It Productions - ⁠⁠https://www.wingingitproductions.com⁠