I left Google after 10 years without another job lined up. An 8-month career break gave me the reset I needed.

Nathaniel Smith for BI This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Adam Stewart, 43, who lives in the UK. The following has been edited for length and clarity. I worked for nearly 20 years straight before I took a career break. 10 of those years were at Google, which I loved, but it was a long time to be at the same company. I was aware there were other options, but when I looked for my next challenge, I didn't really know what I wanted to do next. In January 2024, I left Google an...