You’ve climbed the career ladder, but success at work no longer feels worth it. You’re questioning your path, but switching tracks, let alone stepping away to take a break, feels reckless. In this show, Katrina McGhee, career break and sabbatical coach and author of Taking a Career Break for Dummies, shows high achievers how to take an intentional break, including deciding to quit or take a leave, planning, budgeting, using your time well, and returning to work (or reinventing entirely). Practical episodes, a fresh perspective, and real stories from people who took the leap themselves.
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Taking a Career Break with Katrina McGhee Interview on the Winging It Travel Podcast
Episode 80
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 • Duration 48:32
Episode 80 - Taking a Career Break with Katrina McGhee Interview on the Winging It Travel Podcast
Welcome to Taking a Career Break with Katrina McGhee! In this episode, we share an interview that Katrina had on Winging It with host by James Hammond to revisit their journey since 2022, discuss the massive success of her best-selling book Taking a Career Break For Dummies, and dive deep into what it really takes to step away from the corporate grind.
Whether you are trying to figure out if a break is right for you, figuring out how to manage your finances, or working up the courage to give your notice, Katrina shares personal anecdotes and practical frameworks to help high achievers find clarity.
In this episode, we cover how an unexpected email from Wiley & Sons turned into a For Dummies book deal in under a year.
We explore why the first three chapters of the book focus on giving yourself permission to prioritize your well-being.
Katrina discusses the money mindset shift involving rethinking savings, diverting future-focused funds into present life utility, and paying off debt after a break.
You will also hear practical tips on giving your notice with transparency, confidence, and leaving your job on great terms, followed by a look at managing the emotional transition back into routine during re-entry.
Dreaming of your own career break or sabbatical? Head over to https://www.gobreakspace.com/join to join the Break Space community for courses, live coaching, and a global support network!
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💬 If the show has helped or inspired you, leaving a quick 5-star review genuinely makes a huge difference and helps more people discover the podcast.
📲 And if you know someone feeling burned out, stuck in their career, or dreaming about taking a career break, share this episode with them — it might be exactly what they need to hear.
❤️ Your support helps us continue creating honest conversations, practical advice, and inspiring stories for people ready to make a change.
Announcing the BreakSpace Backstage Pass: Inside the Community with Katrina and Lyndall
Episode 80
Wednesday, October 7, 2026 • Duration 31:45
Episode 80 - Announcing the BreakSpace Backstage Pass: Inside the Community with Katrina and Lyndall
In this special crossover episode, Katrina welcomes special guest and business partner Lyndall Farley to announce the Breakspace Backstage Pass. The hosts introduce the podcast and dive into the inspiration behind creating a curated, two-hour immersive live event designed to open the doors to the Breakspace community.
The conversation covers a high-level walkthrough of what attendees can expect, including an exploration of the nine-step career break journey that helps sabbatical-takers understand where they are and what step comes next. Katrina and Lyndall explain how to use the Purpose Matrix and build a powerful purpose statement to serve as an essential compass before and during time away.
They also share a preview of joint drop-in coaching, detailing how expert guidance unlocks fast breakthroughs, cuts through surface-level stress, and normalizes the emotional challenges of career breaks. The hosts outline who will benefit most from the event—whether listeners are still exploring the idea, preparing for day one, or feeling lost midway through.
Finally, they emphasize why attending live is crucial due to unrecorded confidential breakout rooms and coaching, and wrap up with details on launching from Australia, a first-time special pricing offer, and how to RSVP.
⭐ Follow or subscribe on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode!
💬 If the show has helped or inspired you, leaving a quick 5-star review genuinely makes a huge difference and helps more people discover the podcast.
📲 And if you know someone feeling burned out, stuck in their career, or dreaming about taking a career break, share this episode with them — it might be exactly what they need to hear.
How to Evaluate a Career Break When You’re Close to FIRE
Episode 79
Wednesday, September 30, 2026 • Duration 21:55
Episode 79 - How to Evaluate a Career Break When You’re Close to FIRE
Are you close to achieving your FIRE (Financially Independent, Retire Early) goals, but feeling completely burned out, exhausted, and ready to quit? You are not alone.
In this episode of Taking a Career Break with Katrina, career break and sabbatical coach Katrina McGhee and producer James Hammond dive into the intersection of the FIRE community mindset and taking a purposeful career break.
While saving aggressively and striving for financial freedom is admirable, many high-achievers fall into the trap of delaying their life until a future date that isn't guaranteed—sacrificing their health, youth, and experiences today.
Tune in as we unpack how to look beyond a one-dimensional mathematical equation, weigh the 360-degree risks of not taking a break, and ensure your money serves your best life rather than holding you hostage.
Key Takeaways:
The Peak Earning vs. Peak Living Trap: Why focusing entirely on your accumulation phase can cause you to neglect the only years your body and energy are truly primed for adventure.
Defining Freedom Now: How to build a financial cushion that allows you to make choices without money dictating your every move.
The 360-Degree Risk Assessment: How to evaluate what is actually at stake if you don't take a break, versus just looking at the financial cost.
The Power of Purpose & Themes: Why your brain needs something as concrete as a well-defined break plan to combat the fear of losing money.
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💬 If the show has helped or inspired you, leaving a quick 5-star review genuinely makes a huge difference and helps more people discover the podcast.
Hitting the Career Break Wall? Don't Fall For This Midpoint Trap
Episode 78
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 • Duration 31:21
Episode 78 - Hitting the Career Break Wall? Don't Fall For This Midpoint Trap
Feeling the urge to pack it in and go back to work right in the middle of your career break? You aren't alone. In this episode, Katrina McGhee and James Hammond dive deep into the hidden "trapdoor" that trips up high achievers around the midpoint of their break.
Once the initial bucket list items and big adventures are checked off, a wave of discomfort, existential questioning, and the familiar urge for productivity can hit hard. Katrina breaks down why your brain panics when faced with spaciousness, the massive costs of returning to work too early, and a simple 3-step framework to help you push through the discomfort and completely transform your life.
In this packed conversation, we explore why default living and decades of hustle culture trick your nervous system into believing that being busy equals being a good person. You will learn how to spot the early warning signs of the midpoint slump, why your brain desperately seeks the familiar comfort of a job, and how a former client successfully handled a sudden job offer without breaking the commitment she made to herself.
To overcome this tricky phase, Katrina outlines her actionable, no-nonsense solution built around defining your core purpose and themes, establishing temporary targets, and creating a grounded morning routine. By leaning into structure and intention instead of defaulting back to autopilot, you give yourself the vital mental space needed to reshape your relationship with work and rest. Whether you are currently on a career break, planning a sabbatical, or dreaming of stepping away from burnout, this episode gives you the exact blueprint you need to master your time without regret.
Enjoying the podcast?
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💬 If the show has helped or inspired you, leaving a quick 5-star review genuinely makes a huge difference and helps more people discover the podcast.
📲 And if you know someone feeling burned out, stuck in their career, or dreaming about taking a career break, share this episode with them — it might be exactly what they need to hear.
Does a Career Break Mean You're Not Ambitious Anymore?
Episode 77
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 • Duration 22:57
Episode 77 - Does a Career Break Mean You're Not Ambitious Anymore?
Are you worried that stepping away from the daily grind means losing your edge?
In this episode of Taking a Career Break, hosts Katrina McGhee (career break and sabbatical coach) and James Hammond tackle a heavy stigma: the idea that taking a career break or sabbatical means you are no longer ambitious.
Inspired by recent client discussions and a viral Substack reflection titled "I lost my ambition in Europe," Katrina and James unpack the traditional, work-centric definition of ambition and why it often leads to burnout. They explore the difference between ambition and motivation, discuss the societal pressure to tie your self-worth to a corporate ladder, and offer a powerful reframe.
Tune in to discover why taking a career break isn't a sign of laziness—it's the ultimate act of being ambitious about your life, your well-being, and living a truly rich existence.
Enjoying the podcast?
⭐ Follow or subscribe on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode!
💬 If the show has helped or inspired you, leaving a quick 5-star review genuinely makes a huge difference and helps more people discover the podcast.
📲 And if you know someone feeling burned out, stuck in their career, or dreaming about taking a career break, share this episode with them — it might be exactly what they need to hear.
❤️ Your support helps us continue creating honest conversations, practical advice, and inspiring stories for people ready to make a change.
What 10 Life-Changing Sabbaticals Proved Wrong About Career Breaks
Episode 76
Wednesday, September 9, 2026 • Duration 32:17
Episode 76 - What 10 Life-Changing Sabbaticals Proved Wrong About Career Breaks
In this episode, Katrina and James catch up after the summer break to reflect on the inspiring stories shared throughout the Summer Series. They dive deep into the 10 core beliefs and fears that almost stopped 10 high achievers from taking a sabbatical—and how their real-life experiences proved every single one of those beliefs wrong.
From navigating the fear that "everything will collapse without me" to unlearning the idea that rest has to be earned, this episode recaps the biggest mindset shifts that make a career break truly life-changing. Plus, Katrina and James announce exciting new ways for listeners to get involved, including upcoming listener Q&A episodes and live on-air coaching opportunities!
Key Takeaways & Resources
Have a question for Katrina and James? Drop a comment on Spotify to be featured in an upcoming episode!
Want 15–20 minutes of free live coaching with Katrina on air? Reach out to us via Spotify by leaving a comment or by visiting Katrina's website
⭐ Follow or subscribe on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode!
💬 If the show has helped or inspired you, leaving a quick 5-star review genuinely makes a huge difference and helps more people discover the podcast.
📲 And if you know someone feeling burned out, stuck in their career, or dreaming about taking a career break, share this episode with them — it might be exactly what they need to hear.
❤️ Your support helps us continue creating honest conversations, practical advice, and inspiring stories for people ready to make a change.
Summer Series #10 – From Survival Mode to World Travel: Nicole’s Family Career Break
Wednesday, September 2, 2026 • Duration 01:08:19
Summer Series #10 – From Survival Mode to World Travel: Nicole Starling’s Family Career Break
In the final installment of the Summer Series, host Katrina McGhee sits down with Nicole Starling to explore the transformative power of taking an extended family sabbatical. After facing consecutive family losses, caregiver responsibilities, and corporate burnout, Nicole and her husband decided to pause, pivot, and take their two children on a world-schooling adventure.
Nicole shares the raw reality of planning a global trip, overcoming deep-seated career and financial fears, and managing decision fatigue on the road. She also breaks down how stepping away allowed her family to reconnect, how her kids gained life-changing perspectives, and how she successfully re-entered the workforce—landing a promotion and a raise with her former employer.
Episode Takeaways
Breaks don't have to be "earned"
Rest and space are essential parts of the human lifecycle, not something you only get after burning out.
Realized fears aren't total failures
Returning to your home state or former company doesn't mean you didn't grow; internal transformation changes how you experience your reality.
Kids thrive in the ordinary
The most meaningful memories from family travel often come from everyday interactions, local parks, and simple community connections—not expensive tourist attractions.
Sabbaticals can enhance market value
Stepping away gives you the clarity to recognize your professional worth and negotiate stronger compensation upon re-entry.
Summer Series #9 – Jessica Walked Away From a 60-Hour Week and Discovered a Whole New Life
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 • Duration 55:22
Summer Series #9 – Jessica Walked Away From a 60-Hour Week and Discovered a Whole New Life
What happens when you're really good at your job, you're making a difference in the world, and yet you know deep down that the life you're living isn't good for you anymore?
In this episode of the Summer Series, I talk to Jessica O'Neill about one of the most incredible career-break transformations I've encountered.
Jessica had spent years building and leading a community food-access organisation in Western Massachusetts. As executive director, she was working 60–80 hrs a week, managing staff, writing grants, working with the board and carrying the weight of an organisation that meant an enormous amount to her. She was successful, but exhausted.
The hardest part wasn't knowing she needed a change. It was letting go.
Jessica feared that everything she'd built would fall apart if she stepped away. Through her work with me, she began to challenge those fears, create a concrete plan for her career break and ultimately give herself permission to choose herself.
What happened next was far beyond what she could have predicted.
During her break, Jessica travelled to England to study equine healing and communication, spent time with her twin sister in Italy, rediscovered writing and gardening, and most importantly, learned how to slow down, breathe and reclaim her own time.
That experience eventually became the foundation for an entirely new career working with horses, combining equine energy work, communication, nutrition, plants and sound therapy into what Jessica and her twin sister developed as the TwinErgy Method.
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Summer Series #8 - Elly Quit Her 20-Year Career and Discovered a Completely Different Life
Wednesday, August 19, 2026 • Duration 49:35
Summer Series #8 - Elly Quit Her 20-Year Career and Discovered a Completely Different Life
What happens when the career you spent 20 years building no longer feels like you?
In this powerful episode of the Summer Series, Katrina sits down with Elly, a former Assistant Dean for International Programs at the University of Illinois, elected county board member, and lifelong high achiever who reached a breaking point. After years of managing teams, navigating bureaucracy, and pushing through burnout, she made a bold decision: quit her job without knowing what came next.
Elly shares the emotional reality of leaving a respected career, the loss of professional identity, and the fear of what other people would think. She opens up about the struggle of learning how to rest, reclaiming mental space, and discovering that spaciousness can be just as uncomfortable as burnout.
What began as a career break turned into something far more transformative. During the break, Elly deepened family relationships, became more engaged in local government, returned to writing, and ultimately made a life-changing decision she never expected: becoming a mother again at 44.
This conversation is an honest look at uncertainty, reinvention, and the courage to choose a life that is aligned with who you are today, not who you were 20 years ago. If you’ve ever felt trapped in a successful career, questioned your identity outside of work, or wondered what might be possible if you finally gave yourself space to breathe, this episode will resonate deeply.
Connect with Elly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellyhanauer/
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⭐ Follow or subscribe on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode!
💬 If the show has helped or inspired you, leaving a quick 5-star review genuinely makes a huge difference and helps more people discover the podcast.
📲 And if you know someone feeling burned out, stuck in their career, or dreaming about taking a career break, share this episode with them — it might be exactly what they need to hear.
Summer Series #7 - From Burned-Out School Counselor to Medical Interpreter in Guatemala | Heidi Leal's Career Break Story
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 • Duration 01:02:48
Summer Series #7 - From Burned-Out School Counselor to Medical Interpreter in Guatemala | Heidi Leal's Career Break Story
What happens when you walk away from a stable career without another job lined up?
In this episode of Taking a Career Break with Katrina McGhee, Heidi Leal shares her remarkable journey from high school counselor to freelance medical interpreter in Guatemala. After more than 20 years in public education, Heidi knew she could no longer continue in a role that left her feeling exhausted and disconnected. She resigned without a clear next step, spent time in Guatemala, and began exploring what a different kind of life could look like.
What followed was not a perfectly planned career pivot, but a series of experiments. Heidi tried selling handmade artisan products, creating travel itineraries, hosting Airbnb guests, and volunteering as an interpreter at a nonprofit hospital. Through those experiences, she discovered a skill that truly lit her up and eventually turned it into a flexible freelance business that gives her the freedom and autonomy she had been craving.
Katrina and Heidi talk about the fear of leaving a secure salary and pension, the guilt many high achievers feel when taking time off, the importance of structure during a career break, and the surprising opportunities that appear when you create space to explore. Heidi also shares the mindset shifts that stayed with her long after coaching ended, including celebrating small wins, letting work be enjoyable, and learning that rest does not have to be earned.
If you are considering a career break, feeling burned out in a long-term profession, or wondering how to pivot into something completely different, this conversation is full of practical insight and real-life encouragement.
Connect with Heidi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidileal/
🎙️ Enjoying the podcast?
⭐ Follow or subscribe on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode!
💬 If the show has helped or inspired you, leaving a quick genuinely makes a huge difference and helps more people discover the podcast.
❤️ Your support helps us continue creating honest conversations, practical advice, and inspiring stories for people ready to make a change.
📲 And if you know someone feeling burned out, stuck in their career, or dreaming about taking a career break, share this episode with them — it might be exactly what they need to hear.
❤️ Your support helps us continue creating honest conversations, practical advice, and inspiring stories for people ready to make a change.
⭐ Follow or subscribe on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode!
💬 If the show has helped or inspired you, leaving a quick 5-star review genuinely makes a huge difference and helps more people discover the podcast.
📲 And if you know someone feeling burned out, stuck in their career, or dreaming about taking a career break, share this episode with them — it might be exactly what they need to hear.
❤️ Your support helps us continue creating honest conversations, practical advice, and inspiring stories for people ready to make a change.
📲 And if you know someone feeling burned out, stuck in their career, or dreaming about taking a career break, share this episode with them — it might be exactly what they need to hear.
❤️ Your support helps us continue creating honest conversations, practical advice, and inspiring stories for people ready to make a change.
00:00 – Jessica's incredible career-break transformation 03:37 – Working 60–80 hours a week as an executive director 05:46 – Knowing something had to change 07:18 – The fear of walking away from everything she'd built 09:35 – Leaving the organisation and finally taking the break 16:45 – Saying no to six figures and choosing the unknown 17:27 – The big goals Jessica achieved during her break 21:01 – Recovering from burnout and learning to relax 22:30 – Studying equine healing in England 26:54 – Creating a holistic approach to healing horses 29:24 – The TwinErgy Method 33:00 – What Jessica's work with horses actually looks like 38:56 – Learning to value your work and charge for it 41:18 – The highs and challenges of taking a career break 45:54 – The biggest impact of coaching 50:17 – What Jessica would tell someone considering a career break 51:37 – Saying yes to yourself and opening new doors 53:56 – Where to find Jessica and her work
Ready to stop "running on empty" and start running toward a life you actually love?
🫶🏼Join the BreakSpace community - www.gobreakspace.com
📲 And if you know someone feeling burned out, stuck in their career, or dreaming about taking a career break, share this episode with them — it might be exactly what they need to hear.
❤️ Your support helps us continue creating honest conversations, practical advice, and inspiring stories for people ready to make a change.
