When you talk about taking a break, lunchtime stretches out first.

When you’re eating alone at lunch and someone asks what you’ve been up to, you hesitate over how much to say about taking time off.

Scenes

I freeze when someone asks, “What have you been up to?” — I’m eating alone at lunch when someone asks what I’ve been up to. If I say I’m taking time off, it feels like I’ll have to explain more.
The explanation comes to mind before the answer — If I say, “I’m just taking a break,” it feels like I’ll have to say why and for how long, so I keep it short.
Should I fill my time off with job hunting? — Back home, I try to write down my time off, then erase it. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do during this break to make it sound worthwhile.
Career counseling can include time off, too — In career counseling for young adults, time off isn’t seen as just a gap. Talking about whether you’ve recovered and what you’re exploring can make your next choice more concrete.
Write down just one thing you’re curious about today — Tonight, try writing one line in your notebook: “What do I want to know these days?” Rather than deciding on an answer right away, notice what comes to mind when you read that line.
You can find the words to explain your time off later — Exploring what you want to know is also a way to keep thinking about your career. You can choose what to say at lunchtime later.