My Twelve Month Career Break
It was February 2024 when I found my way into my dream job and became a funeral arranger. It was one year later, in February 2025, when I was asked to step up and become a funeral director. Soon the promotion became permanent. And another year later, in February 2026, I gave it all up to go to Australia for a year...
Except I didn't. My job is waiting for me when I get back next year. I am lucky enough to work for a company which offers career breaks, and my twelve months away was approved on the promise that I send postcards.
I adore my funeralcare job in Leeds and would hate to leave it behind forever. But seeing Australia, travelling the country, living here for a while, has always been my biggest dream. I'm honoured that I get the best of both. I've spent the last four months travelling New Zealand and Australia, and am now looking for temporary work on the Gold Coast to fund some more travelling, before making my way back to the UK in February 2027.
As content as we both were in our careers, myself and my (now) fiancé just couldn't pass on the opportunity to travel while we're young, child-free, and don't have the commitments we will hopefully have one day when we own a house. It felt like it was now or never.
We've been enjoying every second of travelling, and not missing the early mornings for work. Knowing we will have to go back to reality at some point does sting, but it's made easier knowing it's a job I love and find rewarding.
Don't get me wrong, I had a rocky start to funeral directing (see my previous blog post Promoted to Funeral Director), and it turned out to be quite a stressful job in an even more stressful situation. Still feeling new to the harsh reality of working full-time and missing the freedom I had at university, I ended up quite burnt out and I think Australia has been the remedy. But I'm not one for giving up, so I'll be ready to dive back in next year.
Working full-time is rough, when you're an aspiring writer/creative and suddenly can't find the time to write or create. It's difficult when there's only two free days a week, and all your family and friends live in different cities so what could be a coffee catch-up ends up being a full weekend away. It's a challenge just to find some downtime. I can't imagine what it'll be like when we have kids. So, this career break is bringing me more than just a chance to travel down under—it's giving me my spark back and I'm finding my creativity again. I wasn't prepared to lose it before, but when these twelve months are over I hope I'll be better equipped, ready to attack. I aim to keep hold of myself, not just my career.
Follow along with this website and my Instagram @abitofajumble to find out if I succeed!