Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is step back. Over the last six weeks, I took an unplanned break. It wasn’t a carefully choreographed sabbatical—just a necessary pause at the end of summer. That simple change of pace gave me the space to breathe, reflect, and chart a more intentional path into the next twelve months. Most of all, it delivered career clarity after a break—the kind you only find when urgency is quiet and vision gets a vote. Here’s what that time unlocked for me.

1) Rest at Summer’s End — the Foundation for Career Clarity After a Break

Rest routines that drive career clarity after a break

I didn’t realize how much I needed downtime until I took it. Rest helped me reset my nervous system and return with sharper focus. Late summer naturally invites a slower cadence—kids transitioning, schedules shifting, businesses planning for Q4. Leaning into that rhythm allowed me to:

• Catch up on sleep and establish a calmer morning routine.
• Create mental whitespace that sparked better ideas.
• Return to planning with energy instead of urgency.

Want the research? Harvard Business Review highlights the benefits of sabbaticals here, and a micro‑break meta‑analysis via NIH/PMC is a great primer here.

Takeaway: Strategic rest is a business decision. It protects quality of work and quality of life.

2) Interviewing & Networking During a Career Transition — Building Career Clarity After a Break

Networking cadence for career clarity after a break

Not having to wedge conversations between meetings changed the quality of my networking. I scheduled coffee chats, informational interviews, and follow‑ups when both parties could be present. That led to more meaningful conversations, quicker clarity, and stronger relationships.

What worked:

• Preparing a 3‑question agenda so every conversation had purpose.
• Following each call with a short recap and one specific next step.
• Tracking contacts and touchpoints so momentum didn’t stall.

Need a script? Try The Muse’s guide to asking for an informational interview here and smart questions to ask here.

Takeaway: When you remove time pressure, you listen better—and people notice.

3) Refocusing Without Financial Pressure — Values‑Led Decisions for Career Clarity

A values‑led career reset

An unexpected benefit of the break was the ability to think strategically, not reactively. Without the immediate pressure to say yes “just to have a job,” I could evaluate opportunities through a values‑and‑vision lens:

• Does this align with my long‑term goals?
• Will this let me do my best work?
• Does the culture match how I want to lead and contribute?

Takeaway: Scarcity leads to rushed choices. Space creates smarter choices.

4) Serving Clients in a New Way — Manager‑First Finance Ops for Career Clarity (Founder Always)

Manager‑first leadership and career clarity

During this break I realized I don’t just want to do the work — I want to build the teams and rhythms that make excellent work repeatable. That nudged me from a controller‑centric lane into a manager‑first path where I:

• Coach bookkeepers and analysts, set quality bars, and run a clean month‑end.
• Standardize workflows, playbooks, and close calendars so the work scales.
• Create clear client communication cadences and training that actually sticks.

And because I’m still me 🙋🏻‍♀️, I’m keeping Hunter House going — selectively — with systems strategy and productized templates that support those same teams. It’s the best of both worlds: hands‑on leadership inside a team plus a steady, founder‑run studio that keeps sharpening the tools.

12‑Month focus: Build a high‑performing team environment, refine repeatable processes, and let Hunter House continue as the R&D lab for practical templates and SOPs that make everyone’s job easier.

Takeaway: Less lone‑hero, more conductor. Managing well multiplies impact.

5) Values‑Led Decisions for Sustainable Career Clarity

I’m grateful for the freedom to make decisions from a healthy place rather than urgency. That looked like saying no to misaligned work and saying yes to work that fits my energy, expertise, and goals. The result: less friction, more progress.

Decision filter I used:

• Purpose: Does this move my mission forward?
• People: Do I like who I’ll be partnering with?
• Pay: Is the compensation fair for the value?
• Pace: Does the workload respect my bandwidth and wellbeing?

If you’re navigating tough workplace conversations while staying professional, Career Civility’s blog offers practical scripts and perspectives (read more).

Takeaway: Values first, numbers second. The numbers improve when the values lead.

6) End‑of‑Summer Reset — Life Admin for a Career Reset

Clearing life admin to support career clarity

With breathing room, I tackled the list that never gets shorter: appointments, household projects, school prep, and the small but important tasks that support family life. Clearing those plates reduced mental load and restored capacity for focused work.

Takeaway: Personal systems support professional momentum. Both matter.

7) Photography as a Creative Outlet — Fuel for a Career Reset

Creativity that compounds into career clarity

Photography is a creative outlet for me. During the break, I shot for joy, edited old favorites, and started sketching where I want this hobby to grow—stock collections, fine‑art prints, and brand‑aligned imagery that complements my work in finance and systems.

Takeaway: Creative cross‑training fuels professional creativity. Art and analysis aren’t opposites—they’re allies.

8) Re‑Committing to the CPA Exam — Credentials for Career Clarity

CPA retake plan for career clarity after a break

I also made a concrete commitment to re‑take the CPA exam. The decision feels different this time—calmer and more purposeful. Here’s the structure I’m using:

• Timeline: A disciplined, realistic schedule aligned to family and client seasons.
• Cadence: Daily study blocks (focused, time‑boxed) plus weekly review.
• Tools: Becker CPA Review as my primary prep, plus a structured tracker, practice questions, and periodic accountability check‑ins. Start here: NASBA’s CPA Exam hub and the AICPA CPA Exam Blueprints.
• Why now: Deepening technical credibility increases the quality of my work and the options I can say yes to.

Disclosure: No affiliation or sponsorship with Becker—it’s simply the resource I’m using.

Takeaway: Credentials aren’t everything—but they can be a lever. I’m choosing to pull it.

---

What the Break Actually Did for Career Clarity After a Break

This wasn’t a detour; it was a reset for career clarity after a break. Rest gave me clarity. Clarity informed better conversations. Better conversations led to better decisions. And those decisions aligned my next 12 months with who I am and how I want to serve.

Key Takeaways

• Rest is strategic, not optional.
• Rest can unlock career clarity after a break.
• Spacious conversations create better opportunities.
• Values‑led choices compound over time.
• Align today’s skills with a clear, 12‑month vision.
• Invest in the credentials and creativity that expand your future.

If You’re in a Similar Season

If you’re weighing a transition or considering a short sabbatical, give yourself permission to pause. Use the time to design the next chapter—on purpose.

---

Quick FAQ

Why manager over controller right now?
Impact and scale. I want to coach teams, set quality bars, and build the systems that make great work repeatable—then let the numbers speak for themselves.

How are you balancing Hunter House with a manager role?
Selective projects only. Hunter House stays the R&D studio for practical templates, SOPs, and dashboards that support the teams I lead day‑to‑day.

What are you looking for in the next role?
A values‑aligned team, clean month‑end discipline, and openness to standardization—so we can scale without chaos.

How are you approaching the CPA retake?
A realistic study cadence (daily micro‑blocks + weekly review), accountability check‑ins, and a calendar that respects family seasons and deliverable cycles.

Ready to reset your financial systems for the next 12 months? Let’s simplify your close, build scalable dashboards, and make your numbers decision‑ready. Book a 15‑minute intro call