[dpwm]

> 1. Take time off, like a month or more. [1] Use it to do anything other than coding. Hone a hobby, travel, volunteer, etc.

I really recommend the volunteering, especially if in a field unrelated to your career and more aligned with your values.

Not only is it a great way to get to know people, it can really give you a better sense of what skills you can bring. You will make even more of an impact if you do bring a different perspective and skillset to others who normally volunteer.

[bosquero]

Making some assumptions here but I feel that you (and people in the US in general) downplay the benefits of travel. To me, volunteering in this case would just be..more work?

[dpwm]

I'm actually in France, but I agree with travel being great. I haven't traveled as much as I'd have liked to, and I have committments that make travel more difficult than when I was in my twenties.

For me, personally, volunteering in a small association has had a life-changing impact to me in a month.