I took a 7-year career break to care for my parents. I lost my professional identity — then found a new one.
Natasya Pawanteh, a former geologist, shares her experience of taking a seven-year career break to care for her aging parents. Her story highlights the personal and professional challenges of stepping away from a high-pressure career and the eventual pivot to a new identity.
Why it matters
It reflects the growing cultural conversation around the 'sandwich generation' and the professional stigma often associated with long-term caregiving career gaps.
Pawanteh took a 7½ year career break. Joshua Paul for BI This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Natasya Pawanteh, 45, who lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The following has been edited for length and clarity. In 2017, I was a raging workaholic. As an ambitious, mid-career geologist at Shell in Sarawak, Malaysia, I was focused on deepening my expertise. Working, including weekends and late nights, took priority over health and sleep. Over time, it started to take a toll on me. Around this time, my sisters were looking after my parents , who had both had a stroke years prior. I wasn't sure how long I'd have left with them. In May 2018, at age 36, I left my job due to the stress I put myself under and my parents' health , and moved to mainland Malaysia to stay with them.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in