Thinking about taking a career break to travel but not quite on the same page as your partner, or even within yourself?

As a career break coach, helping individuals gain clarity on their why behind their sabbatical is at the heart of what I do. But when friends of mine asked for help to explore whether as a couple they were on the same page when it came to their break was a whole new thing. 

The idea of stepping away from work can feel exciting, liberating and also at the same time, uncertain, complex, and a little overwhelming. The key isn’t rushing into a decision it’s about creating the space to explore it properly.

Below is a framework I created for my friends to help them have open, honest, and productive conversations about taking a career break. I hope it helps!

Before You Start: Set the Foundations

Before diving in and taking a career break to travel, take a moment to ground yourselves in a few principles:

• This is not about convincing each other
• It’s about understanding before deciding
• You are on the same team
• The goal is: “What would feel like a win for both of us?”

This alone can completely change the quality of the conversation.

Step 1: Define Your WHY

Any good career break coach will tell you, clarity starts with your why.

Why do you want to take this break? What’s driving it? What’s missing right now?

Your first answer is often surface-level, so I encourage going deeper using the 7 Levels Deep exercise.

Exercise:

Take turns asking:

“Why do you want this career break?”

The other person simply responds, and you follow up with:

“Why is that important to you?” (repeat up to 7 times)

No interrupting. No fixing. Just curiosity.

Reflect together:

• What did you learn that you didn’t know before?
• What surprised you?

This is where the real insights begin.

Step 2: Establish Your Themes

What do you want this time of taking a career break to travel to be about?

Whether it’s reconnection, health, adventure, or career exploration, identifying 2-4 themes gives your career break structure and intention. These become your North Star.

Exercise:

Individually (or together), brainstorm your themes.

Then discuss:

• Where do your themes overlap?
• Where do they differ and how might both be honoured?

Land on 2-4 shared themes to guide your decisions.

Step 3: Explore the Timing

Timing matters more than most people realise. A career break creates a ripple effect across work, family, finances, and life.

Questions to explore:

• Why now?
• Is there a better time, and what makes it better?
• How does the timing align with your themes?
• What commitments need to be considered?
• What could taking time off now enable later?

A good career break coach will always help you zoom out and look at the bigger picture here.

Step 4: Bring It to Life

Now it’s time to make it real.

Consider:

• What experiences are calling to you?
• What environments help you feel your best?
• Which places excite or inspire you?
• What would feel both meaningful and enjoyable?

Think about balance, growth, rest, exploration, and space.

Step 5: With Whom?

Who you share this experience with will shape it profoundly.

Explore:

• What kind of company would enhance this time?
• What dynamic do you want as a couple or family?
• What would create the most ease, joy, and connection?
• How might this influence your overall experience?

Step 6: Future You

This is one of the most powerful parts of the process.

Reflect:

• Who do I want to be at the end of this break?
• How do we want to feel as a couple or family?
• What would make me truly grateful we did this?

A career break isn’t just about time off it’s about who you become through it.

Step 7: Design Your Options

One of the biggest mistakes I see as a career break coach is people thinking in extremes: go or don’t go.

Instead, explore possibilities.

Exercise:

Each of you designs 2–3 different versions of a career break.

These could vary in:

• Length
• Location
• Structure
• Level of risk or comfort

Each version should align with your themes and take into account any concerns raised so far.

Then come together and discuss:

• What do you like about each other’s ideas?
• What feels exciting?
• What concerns come up?
• Which version best supports your future vision?
• What would feel like a win for both of you?

Final Thoughts from a Career Break Coach

Take your time with this process. The value isn’t just in the outcome it’s in the conversations you have along the way.

A well-designed career break doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from clarity, alignment, and intentional decisions.

And if you find yourselves going in circles or struggling to align, that’s exactly where working with a career break coach can make all the difference.

👉🏼 If you’d like to explore whether it could be a good fit, you can book a relaxed, no-pressure chat with me here.

Equally this is exactly the work I support clients with inside my Purposeful Pause Programme.

Purposeful Pause is a structured coaching experience designed to help you slow down, gain clarity on your why, get aligned on what you truly want from your time away, and create a thoughtful, intentional plan for your break, one that actually feels exciting and right for you.