5 modern sabbatical ideas
Leadership can be exhausting. In my line of work, I have too many conversations with leaders who say they are on the brink of resignation simply because they have so little left in the tank.
Taking a sabbatical – loosely defined as an extended period of time away from work – may well be the be antidote.
Most often, paid sabbatical leave is only available to employees who’ve worked within an organisation for some years and even then employers may only offer a percentage of your regular pay. But even if you haven’t yet racked up enough years, you can certainly request unpaid leave.
A sabbatical is similar to a holiday, but it’s usually a lot longer and may not be all about leisure. The modern sabbatical is increasingly about taking time to discover (or rediscover) what truly lights you up.
For many of us, the Covid era was a quasi sabbatical during which so many people rethought their career direction that we ended up with what has since been termed as “the Great Resignation”.
These five sabbatical ideas may just inspire you to regroup and reconnect with your purpose.
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Go back to study
Taking time out from work could be the ideal time to either start that higher degree that you’ve been dreaming about, or consider retraining in a totally new field. Beyond traditional education, there are countless opportunities for uncredentialled learning via e-courses, adult education and so on. Most large universities now offer single-unit study – a great way to dip your toe in.
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Volunteer
What better way to reconnect with your community than to volunteer, particularly if you have a purpose around wanting to make the world a better place. There are loads of opportunities at community level, but also internationally.
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Start that side hustle
After checking whether your organisation has some kind of non-compete clause, you may want to think about finally launching that business you’ve been dreaming about for years. A safe way to explore the idea whilst maintaining the safety net of having a job to go back to.
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Write that book
There’s a saying that everyone has a book in them. If you feel yours is ready to burst out, a sabbatical could be for you, freeing you up so that you have the time and energy to focus on writing every day.
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Travel
Nothing broadens the mind quite like travel. Whether it’s travelling your community, your state, your country or even the globe, there are mind-expanding experiences to be had everywhere when you are focused on going somewhere you’ve never been.
Work with me!
Seeking fresh motivation and inspiration? I work one-on-one and in team environments to create bespoke leadership development programs that ignite people and teams.
Email karen@o2media.com.au to find out more.
