What I Thought a Career Break Was vs What It Actually Is

What I thought a career break would be — and what it actually is — are two very different things. My name is Deidra Green, and welcome to  @DesignedPause  , a space for women who are thinking about taking an intentional career pause.

In this episode, I share:

• Why a career break must be planned before you take it
• How a lack of planning can turn a pause into a new source of stress
• What my first career pause taught me after leaving a director role at a large financial firm
• How I’ve been intentionally preparing for my second pause for years
• The three types of career pauses: Passive, Active, and Hybrid

I’m currently on my second career pause — traveling between the United States and Saint Lucia, doing contract work, and building Designed Pause — and this time, the difference is intentional planning.

This conversation is for corporate Black women who are successful on paper but know something needs to shift. Not because they’re tired — but because they’re uninspired or misaligned. If you’re considering a career break, sabbatical, or simply want exposure to new options, this episode will help you rethink what a pause actually requires.

Here is a link to the tool I mention in the episode: www.designedpause.com

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👍 Like this video if it helped you reframe what a career break really is