These Mumbaikars took a career break, and here's how you can if you need to

Recalibraterdquo was the word actor Vikrant Massey used in his now viral post from December 1 announcing that he was stepping away from the silver screenHis note sent shock waves across the entertainment industry especially with the actor still riding the high of 12th Failrsquos box office and critical success What Massey might not have expected though was becoming a poster boy of sorts for an increasing number of adults calling it quits and taking a career break while at the top of their gameSarita Tanwar and Vikrant MasseyHis Instagram post read ldquoThe last few years and beyond have been phenomenal I thank each and every one of your for your indelible supportBut as I move forward I realise itrsquos time to recalibrate and go back home As a husband father and a son And also an actorhelliprdquoWilliam DrsquoSouzaThe post has amassed over three lakh likes and over 9000 comments including messages of support from Masseyrsquos contemporaries such as actor Dia Mirza diamirzaofficial ldquoBreaks are best yoursquoll be even more amazing on the other siderdquo Others expressed bewilderment at the timing of the announcement such as agrishavculture who writes ldquoBro you are at peak why do you think like thisrdquoIt turns out though that Massey is not the only one who feels the need to take a break and recalibrateAmit Jadhav has taken to one of this original passions of nature photography PicAnurag AhireTake Amit Jadhav 48 who quit a highpaying job in the human resources department of a multinational corporation after 25 years of working nonstop to support his family from when he was just 2 ldquoldquoI have been on a break since September 2 2022rdquo says the Mulund residentldquoBack in 1997 we had lost our father suddenly and I got his job in the BMC Before that I was studying Botany and my life was headed in a completely different direction life got in the wayrdquo Jadhav recalls What followed was the pressure of being the familyrsquos breadwinner ensuring his elder sisterrsquos marriage into a good home and finally tying the knot himself There were many points when he wanted to slow down and reassess his future but ldquolife got in the wayrdquo he saysTushar Khese managing partner ScripboxWhat eventually tipped him over the edge was a stressful workplace ldquoThe last two years before the break were tough It was not the kind of workplace where I felt productive or was treated well The humiliation got to me and the work hoursmdashbeginning from 7 am and ending late into the nightmdashled to burnoutrdquo adds Jadhav As per a 2023 study by McKinsey Health Institute which surveying more than 30000 employees across 30 countries India has the highest frequency of burnoutmdash59 per cent of Indian respondents stated they experience burnout symptoms compared to the global average of 22 per centShrishti Sugla is on a break since March this year PicSatej ShindeFor some itrsquos grief that forces them to take a pause It was to prepare for her dream wedding that Vidhya A Thakkar 29 had taken a break in August from her work as a book blogger Then with less than a month to the big day on November 17 her dreams came crashing downldquoAfter losing my loved one itrsquos been difficult to get back to workrdquo says Thakkar a resident of Kandivli She rushed to the hospital and stayed by his side until the 31yearold breathed his last 12 hours laterThe blogger is now taking the time to process the loss ldquoI am taking things one day at a time I want to allow myself more time to heal before fully immersing myself in work againrdquo she saysA study conducted earlier this year by US bereavement assistance portal empathycom titled The Cost of Dying found that grief continues to affect employees for 10 months well after they have returned to workmdashif they do The researchers who surveyed over 200 HR professionals in the US also found that 20 per cent of grieving employees had trouble concentrating at work Of those 18 per cent felt they were less productive nine per cent felt that their professional reputation was vulnerable as a result of this and seven per cent were afraid of losing their jobsFortunately Thakkarrsquos clients have been kind enough to give her the space and time she needs ldquoThankfully my clients have been incredibly supportive told me that there is no rush theyrsquove extended deadlines reduced followups and shown great understanding of my mental staterdquo she says ldquoMaking content for YouTube or Instagram might look easy or frivolous to some but anyone involved in content creation knows it is a brutal industryrdquoIn content marketer and strategist Shrishti Suglarsquos case the constant stress of the industry took a toll on her physical health prompting her to hit the reset button In March this year the 31yearold went to the doctor after months of unceasing fatigue Her blood work was alarming ldquoI lacked Vitamin D B12 ironmdashyou name itrdquo says Sugla who has been on a complete break sinceldquoThe doctor told me it was a wonder that I had made it through the last few gruelling weeks before the breakrdquo she says speaking of a frenetic month of juggling a friendrsquos wedding preparations along with a project she was closing for a clientFor William DrsquoSouza it was more about doing good The former journalist had recently switched to corporate communication but decided to take a break in September ldquoI wanted to give back to the communityrdquo says the Nerul resident who joined The Rotary Club of Navi Mumbai NaMastuldquoSocial work has kept me so busy that my family often says that they see me less when I was doing an actual job I feel itrsquos a different kind of work and I am glad I took it but at the same time but at the same time I have to be pragmatic I canrsquot go on forever without an income So Irsquoll look at taking up a job again in about a couple of monthrdquo he chuckles over the phoneBut how to explain the gap in onersquos resume Therersquos no cause for embarrassment You are not alone In 2022 LinkedIn conducted a survey of 23000 users and found that 62 per cent have taken a career break at some point Another 35 per cent said they would be interested in one in the futureIn response to this the platform rolled out its ldquoCareer Breakrdquo feature allowing members to indicate a pause in their work history for up to 13 reasons including bereavement fulltime parenting career transition and travelThe professional networking sitersquos move was aimed at destigmatising career breaks While announcing the new feature LinkedIn also revealed that 51 per cent employers among users on the site were also more likely call a recruitment candidate back if they knew the context of why they had taken a career break in the pastManaging money is a key component that all sabbaticaltakers emphasise on Jadhav who quit his corporate HR job believes in good old fixed deposits to tide over the noincome period Also consider paying off any loans if possible Jadhav adds that he only considered going break after getting done with his home loan in 2019ldquoI prioritised economic stability ensuring negligible financial reliance on my spouse which I have done by and largerdquo he saysOthers like recuperating Sugla and the grieving Thakkar have their parents to lean onTushar Khese managing partner at investment planning platform Scripbox is the voice of financial reason for many ldquoMost people who decide to take a break either have a passive income or a robust investment portfolio or low financial responsibilitiesrdquo he saysldquoThe general practice is to maintain liquid assets sufficient to cover six to nine months of expenses in addition to annual expenses like insurance premium paymentsrdquo he advisesStill nervous about taking the plunge and how it will impact your future The trick may lie in looking at it as an opportunity for growth A study in published in the Harvard Business Review in 2023 conducted by the USbased The Sabbatical Project which is among the worldrsquos first organisations to conduct focused research on nonacademic sabbaticaltakers stated that most of the participants surveyed had continued to work on their own passion projects whether that was gig work or developing new skills and getting certifications or testing out ideas for a career switchWe speak to Sarita Tanwar who completely changed the trajectory of her careermdashfrom journalist and author to producer of shows such as Broken But Beautiful and Never Kiss Your Best Friend But when she went on her break it was for a very different reason initially ldquoI was on a break for over two years I took time off because of a health issue of a now departed family member And itrsquos a heavy thingrdquo she saysldquoInitially I loved that I didnrsquot have an office to go to every day The luxury of not living by the clock is something everyone should experiencerdquo she says But she is quick to add that itrsquos not for everyone ldquoThe restlessness set in pretty quickrdquo she adds ldquoI read a lot of scripts I watched a lot of films I travelled The thing I missed most was a creative outlet My advice to anyone on a break is to make the most of ithellip Use the time to do things you enjoy that you otherwise donrsquot have time for Stay positive and maybe enhance your craftrdquo she adds6237of respondents in a 2022 LinkedIn survey said they have taken a career break5937Indian respondents say they are experiencing burnout symptomsSource 2023 survey by McKinsey Health Institute