'You get addicted to freedom': Woman opens up about difficulties after quitting her job without a plan, drawing support online

Alayna left her full-time job as a social media manager in the public sector without a plan.

She then went travelling in an attempt to try and "find herself".

This might seem like heaven to some, but in a recent TikTok video, posted on Jan 1, Alayna admitted that her career break was not as fun as it might seem.

For one, it was ideally supposed to last three months.

But she's been unemployed for eight months now and shared a few lessons that she has learned from her time spent without a job.

@peltings Happy new year!!! Career break is not as fun as it looks :’) #quarterlifecrisis #careerbreak #quittingjobs #adulting #funemployed #hello2024 ♬ original sound - alayna - alayna 🌙

Grappling with 'lost momentum'

Being able to travel without needing to worry about how much annual leave you have left or a mounting workload upon your return to the office must feel great.

But one thing Alayna was not prepared for was how a long break often leads to "lost momentum".

"You get addicted to freedom," the 29-year-old mentioned, as you now have complete agency of your personal time.

As they say, too much of anything can be a bad thing.

Sleeping and waking up late become options rather than luxuries, and sometimes even develop into a habit.

Another lesson Alayna learned is the importance of having enough savings.

She cited herself as an example.

The break from work was only supposed to last three months, but it's now her eighth month of unemployment.

Finding a job can be a gruelling process, from updating one's resume to consistently applying for relevant job openings to preparing for interviews.

And that's before considering factors that are beyond your control, like a poor job market.

"For all you know, there may be an economic slowdown and it may just not be easy for you to get a job that quickly," Alayna explained.

AsiaOne has reached out to Alayna.

Dealing with insecurities

Why did you leave? What are you going to do next?

Alayna mentioned that peers have often asked her about her career decisions.

Describing her state of affairs as a "quarter-life crisis", she stated honestly that, at times, she had no answers to these questions.

"Even after eight months, I don't have an answer and that gives me a lot of pressure," Alayna said.

Seeing her employed peers receiving their bonuses or promotions at work also took a toll on her.

This led her to internalising a sense of perceived inadequacy, as she can't help but compare her situation with her peers' achievements at times.

Despite painting a dreary picture on being unemployed, Alayna would still recommend those who are looking to take a career break to give it a try.

The advice she has is to not lose too much of the work momentum should you eventually quit your full-time job.

As the saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens.

And hopefully, your career break will do you good before you eventually return to the workforce.

ALSO READ: 'Good times were short-lived': 25-year-old laid off from her first job opens up about her unemployment journey

amierul@asiaone.com

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