Sabbaticals are gaining momentum. In a world of increased burnout, mental health issues, and information overload, people are rethinking their approach to work (and life). You’ve probably heard the term sabbatical, and you’ve definitely fantasized about quitting your job and retiring early. But what does the term sabbatical actually mean and why is it gaining popularity?
A sabbatical leave is an intentional break from your routine job for an extended period of time. It is time spent pursuing interests other than your normal work, including things like travel, research, continuing education, personal growth, and well-being. A sabbatical leave can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few years.
The term actually derives from the biblical word “Sabbath”, which is a holy day of rest. God created the world in six days, and on the seventh day, He rested. Sabbatical is a similar concept, just at a larger scale. Historically, every seven years, people would take a year off to rest and let their fields rejuvenate!
The term was later adopted by academic institutions to allow professors (or other “thought leaders”) to pursue research or take time away from teaching. Harvard introduced the first sabbatical policy in 1880 for the purpose of “health, rest, study, or the prosecution of original work in literature or science.” It then emerged into the corporate world with McDonald’s being the first company to offer a sabbatical policy to employees in 1977. Since then, it has gained popularity with 16% of US companies offering some form of sabbatical leave.
The concept of a sabbatical is remarkably similar to many other things in life. It’s the idea that after a certain period of work or effort, there must be a proportional period of rest and reset. For example, each day is followed by a night of sleep. Each work week is followed by a weekend. The school year is followed by summer break. The growing season is followed by winter. Electronics need to be turned off periodically to reset. Sports games have half times and timeouts. Therefore, taking a proportional rest break is a natural and necessary thing.
If we think of life as a book (hopefully a long and adventurous novel), then we must also look at our life in chapters. Chapters have purposeful starts and stops. They break the story into manageable chunks and allow the reader time to pause. And, if you’re like me, they provide motivational stopping points so that you don’t start reading on autopilot. Have you ever read a chapter that drags on for waaay too long? Well, maybe the author should add a dang page break so the reader can take a break!
Here are 10 reasons why taking a sabbatical year should be the norm:
- It allows you to take a step back from your busy, routine life.
- Like a computer, it gives you a chance to reset.
- It can help with burnout, stress, and mental health problems.
- It can significantly increase your personal well-being, both physical and mental.
- It allocates time to learn something new, add to your professional resume, or research alternative career options.
- It gives you time to travel, explore new places, meet new people, and try new things.
- It pushes you to explore outside your comfort zone and challenge yourself.
- It gives you the opportunity to focus on living life rather than working.
- It gives you the opportunity to reflect on what’s most important in your life.
- When you reenter the workforce, you will be more driven and operating at a higher level than before.
It is extremely unlikely that anyone will argue that taking a year off work doesn’t sound amazing. For many, taking a career break may not be financially plausible. In addition to financial barriers, some will say it is career suicide; you could be sacrificing career advancement, adding a questionable gap to your resume, and setting your future up for uncertainty. Therefore, the key is to do it strategically. Plan head. Do something that adds value to your life (and your resume).
If you want to read more about how to plan for a sabbatical leave, check out my next blog post in this series called How to Take a Career Break: Guide to Creating a Strategic Sabbatical Plan.
This is great and definitely a great idea and goal to set! Love it.