If you've ever stared out of the office window and day-dreamed about trekking through the rainforest or volunteering in a remote African village, perhaps the time has come to stop dreaming. Every year, thousands of people step off the work treadmill and pursue a lifelong dream, be it travelling, volunteering, studying, working overseas or even launching a new career.
The options for a career break are as broad as your imagination, but taking a break is a big decision. It is essential to do some proper planning and research before you go. Employers are becoming increasingly amenable to the idea of career breaks, but you need to plan your return to work carefully, as well as saving enough to cover the costs of travel and running your home while you are away.
Volunteering is probably the single most popular career break activity - part of a growing backlash against modern materialism and the "me" culture. There are hundreds of sending agencies that match volunteers to projects that need their skills, from humanitarian programmes in Africa and India to conservation projects in Southeast Asia and South America.
Whichever field you choose, you can expect the rewards to be matched by the challenges. Flexibility and a willingness to learn are just important as the desire to help. Today's volunteers are looking for projects that make a difference to the lives of the people they are supposed to be helping, rather than amply providing a feel-good holiday for volunteers,
Volunteer teachers can get a head-start by studying for a qualification in Tefl (Teachers of English as a Foreign Language) orTesol (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages), As well as providing a solid basis for teaching, these courses can open up a world of paid teaching overseas.
The courses run by Cambridge, Celta (www-cambridgeesol.org) and Trinity CertTesol {www.trinitycollege.co.uk), last four weeks and prices range from £600 in Eastern Europe to £1000 in the UK or US. Cactus TEFL (www.cactustefl.com) acts as a clearing house for Tefl/Tesol courses worldwide.
Of course, you don't have to spend your career break teaching english or doing something worthy. After years of commuting to work, plenty of people are happy to use a career break for old-fashioned travel. Round-the-world plane tickets are a perennial favourite. Even with the increase in air taxes and baggage fees, this is still a fantastically cost-effective way of seeing the world. Or why not use a career break to study overseas? Going back to university is one option, but there are plenty of shorter courses that offer a taste of adventure while you study - yoga courses in India, sailing courses in Australia, Spanish courses in Guatemala or Seville.
The only question left is what are you waiting for?