The Power Pause: How to Plan a Career Break After Kids--and Come Back Stronger Than Ever
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Tuesday, Nov 17
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At a glance
- Condition
- New
- Model
- 9,78059E+12
- Dimensions
- 6.2 x 1.2 x 9.3 in
- Weight
- 1.01 lb
- Publisher
- G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Publication date
- January 14, 2025
- Language
- English
Description
INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER! A paradigm-shifting guide to career breaks after kids that rebrands stay-at-home parenthood for a new generation of women and families. "So, what do you do?" When Neha Ruch had to answer this seemingly innocent question for the first time after leaving her corporate job to care for her infant son, she drew a shameful blank. She couldn’t find the words to describe this new stage of life she’d just embarked on. She wasn’t a 1950s June Cleaver type, nor was she one of today’s updated stereotypes. (Craft Project Mom? Exhausted-in-Sweatpants Mom?) How, then, was she to navigate this identity shift? Frustrated, Ruch embarked on a mission to rebrand the stay-at- home mother for a new generation of women who don’t want to leave their ambition behind just because they decide to pause or change their careers post-kids. Her online community has become the leading voice and resource for women navigating this transition, and in her first book, The Power Pause, Ruch addresses all the questions women face at this inflection point: Can I afford to pause? Who am I without my career identity? How do I find meaning in the role? And can I ever transition back to paid work? With expert advice and diverse stories of stay-at-home mothers who buck every stereotype, as well as interactive exercises to help the reader plot a course for the long term, The Power Pause is an essential handbook for a new generation of caregivers. Read more
Specs 8
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
|---|---|
| Publication date | January 14, 2025 |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 320 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 0593716183 |
| ISBN-13 | 82 |
| Item Weight | 1.01 pounds |
| Dimensions | 6.2 x 1.2 x 9.3 inches |
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Top Amazon Reviews
A Refreshing Narrative & Companion for Anyone Considering or Navigating a Career Pause ⭐
Format: Hardcover
Highly recommend anyone currently in or considering a career pause or downshift to “lean in” to this refreshing narrative and perspective on the ambitious ‘at-home’ parenting chapter. Empowering and filled with well-researched evidence and tips for whatever season of ‘pause’ you’re in. Was great as an audiobook narrated by the author, Neha Ruch, who started Mother/Untitled. “Imagine if pausing your career to enjoy motherhood was not depicted as contrary to ambition, success, and feminism but rather an empowered choice to shift focus of time and attention for a chapter.” - Ruch
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Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2026 by Brittany Bittrich
5 Stars: A Hopeful, Practical Guide for Navigating Career and Identity Post-Kids
Format: Hardcover
The Power Pause by Neha Ruch is exactly what I needed at this stage in my life—a guide filled with practical advice, thoughtful examples for navigating the next steps in my career while balancing motherhood, and, most importantly, hope. What stood out most was how comprehensive this book felt. Ruch covers a wide range of scenarios and backs up her advice with data and stories—some her own, some from others—making it not only relatable but also actionable. It’s like a playbook for motherhood, self-discovery, and career reinvention, helping me feel like I’m on the right path in my motherhood and personal growth journey. While I wished some topics—like those touching on finances or marital dynamics post-kids—were more expansive, I understand that this book isn’t focused on those topics, and Neha isn’t the expert on them. They’re touched on just enough to highlight their importance and provide guidance, and I can see how other experts could explore them in more detail. One moment that particularly resonated with me was when she mentioned the app Peanut. At first, I thought she missed the opportunity to include it, but I was relieved and excited to see it highlighted later. When my son was seven months old, we moved out of our small San Francisco apartment to a house an hour away to provide a better life for him. The move also eliminated my husband’s awful commute, allowing him to be more present at both work and home. However, the transition left me without friends or insight into the local kid classes or activities. Peanut became transformative for me, helping me build friendships and connect with a diverse group of women. I’m so glad Neha acknowledged this app, and I hope her words inspire other moms to use it as a tool to find their own support system. This is a book I’ll return to again and again. It’s more than just a guide—it’s a source of hope and inspiration that will remain on my shelf for years to come. If you’re looking for clarity, encouragement, and actionable steps for navigating life and career post-kids, The Power Pause is a must-read.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2025 by Kyriaki K.
The perfect book for a mom in Transition
Format: Hardcover
This book couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. As someone who falls into the ‘gray’ area of motherhood and unexpectedly took a career pause after my daughter was born, I felt lots of confusion and pressure to figure out what to do. After my daughter was born, my identity changed and I was lost. I didn’t know what to do. But after reading this book, I already feel empowered to start making changes to my mindset and my plan. The book is so validating and uses lots of actionable, relatable, and thought-provoking journal prompts which bring me clarity on areas I was unsure about. Neha’s doing something very powerful for moms with this book and her community, Mother Untitled. I’m so grateful for this book and her platform. I plan to re-read the book again and again during my journey in motherhood. Thanks for all you do for us moms, Neha. You’ve inspired me to think intentionally about my power pause.💜
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Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2025 by Belinda
Helpful information for primary parents transitioning to home
Format: Kindle
The first part of this book didn’t really apply to me, though I saw the value in it. I was leaning more towards 3 stars. But the last two thirds of the book had more applicable information for my situation. I do think that this book is more geared corporate employees or “career women”. I appreciate that it celebrated being the primary parent and the experience you gain from it. If you are a working parent thinking of staying home or a primary parent thinking about returning to work this will have good information for you.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2025 by Melissa R
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — Encouraging and Insightful Guide for Career Re-Entry
Format: Hardcover
I purchased Power Pause as a Christmas gift, and it turned out to be an excellent choice. This book offers thoughtful, motivating guidance for anyone returning to their career after taking time away—whether for family, personal reasons, or a major life transition. What makes Power Pause stand out is its practical, uplifting approach. It doesn’t just offer generic advice; it provides real strategies, confidence-building insights, and relatable examples that help readers feel ready to step back into their professional lives with clarity and purpose. It’s a great resource for anyone needing reassurance, direction, or a fresh mindset as they re-enter the workforce. Highly recommend for gift-giving or personal growth.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2025 by Julia Irwin
A must-have resource for ambitious women who have, or are considering children
Format: Hardcover
Neha Ruch is one of the wisest women I have come across, and this book, along with her online platform, are filled with resources, advice and empowering reframes that I only wish I had access to 8 years ago when I chose to leave a 13-year career in brand marketing to pursue my other dream of starting a family. There are so many choices I would have considered differently, and am so encouraged for the next generation of women who will have the benefit of The Power Pause as they consider their own decisions. And for women, like myself, who have already chosen to pause their careers for family life, but are in the grey area of stepping back into paid work, this book is also for you. So much incredible wisdom about how to approach the next chapter of our careers, while giving dignity to the pauses we’ve taken. Get this book for yourself, for your friends, for your employees. We will all succeed when we start shifting the narrative around career breaks to the language Neha so beautifully articulates in The Power Pause.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2025 by The Martins
A must read! Changing the narrative for all moms.
Format: Kindle
This book is more than a book. It is a paradigm and culture-shifting movement. Neha has given language to modern motherhood in a way that no one has before. She has found a way to show that choosing to downshift or pause paid work for family life is not antifeminist, but actually the ultimate act of feminism and choice. I am so incredibly grateful that I found this book. It has opened my eyes to the possibilities, and validated my feelings. I also had the pleasure of listening to Neha talk about the book when she came to Bethesda on the book tour. She has brought an amazing community of women together with this narrative, and I can't wait to see what she does next. Read this. You won't regret it.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2025 by Kelsey C.
The book I wish I had when I became a mom
Format: Hardcover
Neha’s insights are incredibly valuable. They help women and society at large reframe the unhelpful and untrue stories about what it means to choose motherhood, and also reminds us that the best is yet to come—no matter how long women pause from their careers— for them as individuals, for their families, and for what they’re able to contribute to the world. Neha also helps mothers feel seen, heard, and understood in a way unlike any other. Even if the reader isn’t a parent themselves, it gives eye-opening perspectives that result in more understanding and better outcomes at work and at home. A must-read for anyone who is a mom or knows one.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2025 by HappyHuman