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!

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.

▶️ Watching on YouTube? Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss future episodes and career break conversations - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TakingaCareerBreakwithKatrina⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction: The core message of the book as a "permission slip"

01:40 – Welcome back to the show: Catching up with Katrina McGhee on the success of her For Dummies book

06:31 – The behind-the-scenes reality of writing a book with strict publisher templates

11:32 – Part One: Deciding if a career break is right for you and overcoming objections

18:32 – Part Two: Planning your break, budgeting, and shifting your mindset around present-day spending

23:57 – Break Space Community Spotlight

28:15 – Part Three: Sharing the news with your employer and giving your notice with confidence

37:04 – Part Four: Navigating your break, avoiding burnout, and slow travel

42:28 – Part Five: Exiting with grace, managing re-entry, and adjusting to routine

46:09 – Part Six: Decoding the classic For Dummies "Part of Tens"

47:09 – Where to find Taking a Career Break For Dummies

Ready to stop "running on empty" and start running toward a life you actually love?

🫶🏼Join the BreakSpace community - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gobreakspace.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎁Order Katrina's book (w/ special bonus!) - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kmcgheecoaching.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into career growth, work-life balance, and mental resilience.

🎧Produced by Winging It Productions - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.wingingitproductions.com

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.

Sign up here - https://www.gobreakspace.com/backstage

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.

▶️ Watching on YouTube? Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss future episodes and career break conversations - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TakingaCareerBreakwithKatrina⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to a Special Crossover Episode

00:54 Show Intro and Welcome

01:46 Announcing the Breakspace Backstage Pass

06:05 High-Level Event Overview

09:16 The 9-Step Career Break Journey

12:13 The Purpose Matrix

14:00 Mastering Your Purpose

16:36 Inside Drop-In Coaching

21:13 Who Is the Backstage Pass For?

28:12 Why You Must Attend Live

30:00 Bonus Reveals, Special Pricing, and Closing Thoughts

Ready to stop "running on empty" and start running toward a life you actually love?

🫶🏼Join the BreakSpace community - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gobreakspace.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎁Order Katrina's book (w/ special bonus!) - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kmcgheecoaching.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into career growth, work-life balance, and mental resilience.

🎧Produced by Winging It Productions - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.wingingitproductions.com

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.

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.

▶️ Watching on YouTube? Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss future episodes and career break conversations - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TakingaCareerBreakwithKatrina⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction: I’m Close to FIRE. Do I Keep Working or Take a Break?

01:00 – Welcome to Taking a Career Break with Katrina

01:44 – What is the FIRE Movement? Understanding Financial Independence and Freedom

04:21 – The Big Worry: Missing Out on Youth, Health, and Life Experiences

09:30 – The Real Problem: Your Peak Earning Years Are Also Your Peak Living Years

13:47 – Strategy #1: The Importance of Purpose Statements and Themes for Your Break

15:45 – Strategy #2: Doing a 360-Degree Risk Assessment (What Happens If You Don't Take a Break?)

18:23 – Bonus Insight: The Value of Location-Independent, Laptop-Based Skills

20:37 – The Ultimate Analogy: "You’re Too Busy Driving to Stop for Gas

Ready to stop "running on empty" and start running toward a life you actually love?

🫶🏼Join the BreakSpace community - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gobreakspace.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎁Order Katrina's book (w/ special bonus!) - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kmcgheecoaching.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into career growth, work-life balance, and mental resilience.

🎧Produced by Winging It Productions - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.wingingitproductions.com

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?

⭐ 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.

▶️ Watching on YouTube? Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss future episodes and career break conversations - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TakingaCareerBreakwithKatrina⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to the show: What happens after the bucket list?

02:00 – The Career Break Trapdoor: Why the midpoint is the danger zone

04:15 – Should you pace your bucket list items or dive right in?

08:50 – The painful spaciousness: Why your brain craves the comfort of a job

12:20 – The uncomfortable questions you're trying to avoid

16:00 – The true cost of returning to work too early

19:00 – The alternative: Rethinking work, retirement, and default living

21:40 – The 3-Step Framework to save your break: Purpose & Themes, Targets, and Morning Routines

28:10 – Real-life coaching story: How a former client handled a sudden job offer

Ready to stop "running on empty" and start running toward a life you actually love?

🫶🏼Join the BreakSpace community - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gobreakspace.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎁Order Katrina's book (w/ special bonus!) - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kmcgheecoaching.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into career growth, work-life balance, and mental resilience.

🎧Produced by Winging It Productions - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.wingingitproductions.com

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.

▶️ Watching on YouTube? Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss future episodes and career break conversations - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TakingaCareerBreakwithKatrina⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction: How a Substack newsletter sparked this episode's debate on losing ambition.

01:42 – Welcome to the Show: Setting the stage for high achievers feeling burned out and ready for a change.

03:44 – Is Not Being Ambitious a Bold Statement? Exploring different definitions of ambition.

05:08 – The "Lost My Ambition in Europe" Insight: Unpacking why high-achievers feel a shift during sabbaticals.

08:11 – Ambition vs. Motivation: What does Miriam Webster say about the true meaning of ambition?

10:17 – BreakSpace Announcement: Your launchpad for a life-changing career break.

12:06 – Why We Default to Work-Centric Ambition: The primitive drive for safety, status, and financial reward.

14:58 – Is Being Unambitious Bad? Challenging the societal stigma of being "lazy" or "not driven."

18:42 – The Ultimate Reframe: Becoming ambitious about life and living well, rather than just a career.

21:11 – Why Taking a Career Break is Actually Hugely Ambitious.

22:02 – Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up.

Ready to stop "running on empty" and start running toward a life you actually love?

🫶🏼Join the BreakSpace community - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gobreakspace.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎁Order Katrina's book (w/ special bonus!) - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kmcgheecoaching.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into career growth, work-life balance, and mental resilience.

🎧Produced by Winging It Productions - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.wingingitproductions.com