Singaporean wants a career break but wonders: ‘How much is enough?’

The idea of a career break is becoming more acceptable among workers who are realizing that life cannot solely revolve around their jobs. According to LinkedIn’s 2024 Workforce Confidence research, 62% of global workers have considered taking a career break. A Singaporean individual contemplated this option but had a primary concern: how much financial self-sufficiency is necessary to survive without a steady income?

In search of advice, he turned to Reddit and asked fellow Singaporeans how they had planned financially before stepping away from work. One response suggested that a side hustle could provide sufficient financial stability during a career break. This person took a break at 34 and relied on a side hustle to cover basic living expenses, stating that having a source of income even if the primary job was unavailable gave him confidence.

Another user took a two-year break to pursue a part-time master’s degree while living with his parents, who were financially self-sufficient. He saved around S$100k for school fees, insurance, and income tax in addition to daily expenses, which amounted to approximately S$50k. A third user mentioned spending five months on a working holiday in Melbourne after completing a major professional milestone.

During her break, she stayed with her parents and incurred expenses totaling S$22k, including flight, daily expenditures, road trip, and Airbnb rental. She also managed to work part-time during her break, earning S$2,800. The fourth user expressed that a year’s break doesn’t require a substantial amount of money, stating that living with parents could make S$20-30k sufficient.

However, not everyone endorsed this idea. Some users were concerned that taking a career break in Singapore’s job market could be risky, as a gap on a resume might result in lowball offers for rejoining the workforce.