Here’s a non-groundbreaking statement: time off from work is really good. I’ll even go out on a (very short) limb and say that most people would agree with me. A few days of paid vacation here and there is nice, even invigorating, but now imagine taking off for an entire year. A break from employment, if you will. Well, that possibility is becoming a reality for some working professionals, as “gap years” are on the rise.
As the name literally suggests, a gap year for adults is effectively when people take an entire year off. The concept originated in Europe but has quickly made its way stateside, especially since the pandemic began, with more and more burnt out millennialsand even some zoomers, taking sabbaticals and so-called “mini-retirements”.
Now, what you do with your gap year is entirely up to you – there are no rules, regulations or restrictions.
In fact, Renée Zellweger recently spoke to British Vogue about taking one six years hiatus from acting. During that time, however, it seems she was busier than ever. “I wrote music and studied international law,” she told the magazine. “I built a house, rescued a couple of elderly doggies, created a partnership that led to a production company, advocated and raised money with a sick friend, and spent a lot of time with family and godchildren and drove across the country with the dogs. . I got well .”
Experts featured in this article
Joelle Moray is a licensed counselor and author of “What are we doing?! Radical Self Care for Hustle Culture.”
Simeon is sickPhD, is a HR manager and one of the founders of Zera Consulting.
Logan is a 34-year-old marketer who took an adult gap year from October 2022 to September 2023 to focus on his mental health. “I visited a friend who lives in England for a few months, then another friend who finished medical school in Italy, then we took a trip to France for a couple of days because it’s so close, then I visited my parents in North Carolina ” says he. “Me too acquired some new hobbies and things I’ve always wanted to do but never really had the time.”
Ashley, on the other hand, is in the middle of her adult years. She decided to take time off to heal from a series of losses. “I never actually thought of it as an adult gap year, because it wasn’t something I had started in 2024 with in mind, but it just evolved quite naturally for me,” says the 34-year-old.
After the passing of a close friend and both of her grandparents, as well experiencing a pregnancy lossthe small business owner needed to focus on his physical and mental health. “I decided to close my business for a period and just allow myself intentionally go through the grieving process.”
Another driving factor for both Logan and Ashley’s time away? Burnout. “One or two weeks off wasn’t enough for me to actually feel relaxed, because I felt exhausted for years,” says Logan. The same track for Ashley, who noticed that her burnout continued to show through sadness.
But Logan and Ashley aren’t the only ones with this experience, as burnout and stress are at an all-time high, according to American Psychological Association. Of course, the root cause varies, but nearly 3 in 5 employees reported negative effects of work-related stress, including a lack of interest, motivation, and/or energy when on the clock — clear signs of burnout.
In theory, a whole year off from work sounds like an idyllic solution, but is it always the answer? Not necessarily. “When you’re burned out, a trip to the beach or another country alone isn’t going to fix it,” says human resources manager Merary Simeon, PhD.
Whether planned far in advance or unplanned due to unforeseen circumstances, Simeon says the gap year usually means aggressive saving to have enough money to finance the break from work, which can lead to a serious (and stressful) financial burden.
As a result, it is crucial to have realistic expectations of what you can and cannot afford during your time away. Otherwise, without a plan, Simeon says it’s not uncommon for the financial consequences to worsen your burnout. In a way, that might sort of defeat the purpose.
“Many people are attracted to this gap year as a kind of cure for their burnout, but the pressure to aggressively save all your money for the time away can actually make the stress worse,” says licensed counselor Joelle Moray. In fact, the run-up to the leave often replicates the very patterns of lively culture most people try to counteract, especially when it’s left to your social life, she explains. “There is a belief that a year away will fix the things that are out of balance in our lives.”
To add fuel to the fire, Simeon also notes that burnout can increase if you are hiding an impending resignation from your boss. This is especially true if there is fear of repercussions or retaliation, which can create resentment, which only exacerbates the problem, she explains.
But here’s the deal: If your desire to take a gap year is based solely on job burnout, an extended break won’t always solve the problem. “If we don’t fundamentally change the way we approach work and rest regularly, we’re actually solving the wrong problem,” says Moray. “We need to challenge the idea that rest is a luxury or reward and emphasize that it is a necessity.”
All that said, everything is circumstantial, and an adult gap year can certainly be healing in more ways than one. Logan found the year away to be key to self-reflection and self-growth on both a personal and professional level. “I realized that I have to work in places that respect me, and respect that I’m a human being who needs time off,” he says. “From my experience, it was definitely worth it.”
Ashley has also found her time away worthwhile. “Taking this time off has allowed me to heal at a faster pace than if I were trying to live out the dual identities of being a full-fledged business owner while grieving,” she says. And regarding her return to work, Ashley says: “There are times when it’s more stressful than others, but at the end of the day I’m a very intuitive person, so I know when the time is right.”
So, are adult gap years all they’re cracked up to be? It depends, and to be honest, it’s not that simple, says Simeon. “They exist on a spectrum.”
For many, Moray says the idea of extended time off is just a Band-Aid for a bigger problem that feeds into the workplace’s busy culture and lack of work-life balance. For some, like Logan, a formative year away can be a great way to regroup and prioritize.
And for others, like Ashley, intentional time off can be healing after a year of injury. “People need to hear that it’s OK to take time for ourselves to rest, relax and come back to the place we want to be,” she says, “so we can be ourselves and share ourselves from a whole cup. ”
