5 FULFILLING SABBATICAL IDEAS
When you’ve been working hard over a long period of time, burnout will eventually catch up with you. You may even get to a point where you question the purpose of your job. Suddenly the satisfaction that your career gave you wanes. That is where a sabbatical comes in, to take their minds off the stress of their jobs and focus on what they love outside of their work.
Sabbatical is a period of paid or unpaid leave that is granted to an employee. The purpose of a sabbatical is to give an employee a chance to step back from their role at work and focus on personal enrichment and professional development. Though it can include times of rest and relaxation, a sabbatical is decidedly different than a vacation and it is not simply “time off.
A conventional sabbatical is yearlong, though they can be shorter or longer depending on the reason for taking a professional break.
Here are 5 refreshing sabbatical ideas for the modern career man/woman:
- Study
A sabbatical might be a great idea to finally enroll for higher education or take up a few classes at your local college. Keep in mind that education possibilities are endless. Studying doesn’t always mean enrolling for another degree, diploma, masters or a PhD programme. You can take up short online courses, read books and listen to podcasts.
- Write
Since you are going to have a lot of free time, don’t just sleep it away. Jot down creative ideas that pop up in your head. That is how great books have been written. Whether a novel, scripts or academic, write it.
- Travel
Travel is a great way to loosen up, gain new experiences and learn a lot while at it. It opens your eyes to endless possibilities and can be a great way to recharge for work, get new ideas and relax your mind and body.
- Start a side hustle
This is a great time to put down your fears and follow your passion. Not to replace your current profession but simply diversify. If you have a skill that you’ve been wanting to improve, or a bit of your resume that you’d like to enhance, a sabbatical could be the perfect time to do it.
- Volunteer
It’s always a common interest in people to want to give back to society, to make a difference and make the world a better place. Volunteering is very fulfilling, you can look back in time and see the ways in which you’ve made an impact and use those positive feelings to inspire your next move.
Sabbaticals are an opportunity to see the world, open your eyes to new ways of life, and embrace a lifestyle of endless learning. By taking time away from work to slow down and take action toward a goal that has been eluding us, we tell ourselves we are worth more than the usual 9-5. We tell ourselves we were not born to just work, pay bills and die. We owe it to ourselves, and to those that we may inspire, to use our time on earth in a way that lights us up.
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