If You’re Considering a Career Break, Read This First!

From personal obligations to professional burnout, there are many reasons to take a career break as an IT worker. These factors may be exacerbated by a toxic work environment, driving you to seriously consider taking some time off. If you’re considering a career break, read these three red flags warning you to seek a new IT position, and refocus your energy on the vital aspects of your personal and professional life before making your final decision:

Prioritize Your Personal Well-being

If you’re considering a career break, it’s likely that you’re feeling burnt out in your current IT role. IT workers experience burnout for many reasons, but they almost always involve a decline in the tech talent’s personal well-being. In order to turn things around and reclaim ownership over your personal life and mental health, it may be necessary to take a break from your tech career. But there are other ways to alleviate burnout as an IT professional without taking a definitive career break. If you’ve been working longer hours or saying “yes” to additional responsibilities that are taking you away from your personal obligations or needs, it’s important to take action to relieve yourself of this burden, preventing burnout at the source. But keep in mind that if your current employer, manager, or the IT role itself is causing the bulk of your distress – it’s time to look for a new IT job!

Invest in Your Professional Development

Have you been wanting to spend some time learning new IT skills to enhance your professional development as a tech worker? If you’re considering taking a career break anyways, this might be the perfect time to dive into your passions and take steps to refine your knowledge of the ever-evolving tech industry! From enrolling in a program at your local community college to enlisting the guidance of a trusted tech mentor, there are many ways to invest in your professional development, not only during a potential career break, but also as you navigate your work as an IT professional. If you’re unhappy in your current tech role, but you’ve enjoyed working with your colleagues and feel aligned with your company’s culture, chances are your tech job isn’t sufficiently engaging your brain. Taking the time to invest in your professional development as an IT worker might be just what you need to reinvigorate your passion for tech, whether it be during a tech career break or in addition to navigating your IT role.

Improve Your Work-Life Balance

Both prioritizing your personal well-being and investing in your professional development go hand-in-hand with improving your work-life balance, especially if you’ve been considering taking a break from your tech career. Curating a healthy work-life balance can help support your emotional, mental, and physical well-being by providing you with the opportunity to reduce work-related stress and promote a healthier lifestyle outside of work. Whether this be practicing healthier eating and sleeping habits, setting aside time in your week for self-care, or taking on a new hobby that excites you, improving your work-life balance will enable you to be the best version of yourself in both your personal and professional lives. If you’ve been considering taking a career break as an IT professional, a middle ground may be possible if you take steps to improve your work-life balance. From saying “no” to additional tasks when your plate is full to taking some “me” time during your workday to recharge, there are many ways to live a more balanced lifestyle while still maintaining your tech job. And if that doesn’t work, consider working for a tech employer that’s willing to accommodate a healthy work-life balance.

Are You Ready to Find Your Next IT Job?

If you’re unhappy in your current tech role, INSPYR Solutions is here to help! Contact us today to talk with one of our expert IT recruiters about finding the right tech job for you.