I burned out and quit my demanding career. It turned into an unexpected, 18-month career break that changed my life.
Yahoo • • health
Key Points:
- Alice Kim experienced persistent burnout throughout her six-year investment banking career, exacerbated by perfectionism, long hours, and chronic stress, which eventually led her to quit her job seeking recovery.
- During her career break, Kim discovered surfing and travel, which initially brought joy but also revealed that her burnout stemmed from a mindset tied to productivity and self-worth rather than just job demands.
- Attempts to return to work or freelance led to recurring burnout, prompting Kim to recognize and begin addressing toxic beliefs about work and self-value that fueled her exhaustion.
- Kim is now focusing on building a portfolio career that aligns with her values, emphasizing remote strategic finance freelance work and social media, aiming for freedom and balance rather than traditional corporate roles.
- She continues to work on redefining her self-worth outside of productivity and encourages others to share their experiences with burnout and career breaks.
