Are you thinking of taking a sabbatical? Are you scared it may ruin your career? What if it actually helps to grow it?
Sabbaticals are becoming more and more popular, especially among younger generations. There are many reasons why people opt to take a career break. From mental health reasons to wanting a fresh start to learning a new skill, to just wanting a deeper sense of life satisfaction.
Sabbatical leave, or a career break, is a period of rest from work. This can be in the form of a longer rest involving significant time off, or a shorter time period. Sabbaticals tend to last between 3 months and 2 years if someone opts to return to their prior place of employment. A sabbatical can also mean a career gap where someone does not return to their previous place of employment but sets the course for something entirely new.
There are many popular beliefs around to taking an extended break from work.
Do you believe you need to be rich? Or maybe you’re scared it will hurt your career? Or that you’re too far into your career to leave?
Learn more now:
Debunking the myths of going on sabbatical
You’re dreaming of taking a career break and going on a sabbatical to explore the world.
Adventure is calling you.
New experiences are waiting for you.
Yet there is this little voice in your head (or maybe the loud voices around you) telling you it’s a mistake.
- You’ll be ruining your career and everything you’ve worked hard for.
- You don’t know how the marketplace will be when you come back, you’ve got a good job, and you should make sure to keep it.
- It’s irresponsible to not earn a paycheck.
- It’s going to cost you too much money.
- It’s too late for that, you should have done it right after college.
Are you afraid it’s going to ruin your career?
What if we tell you it could do the total opposite?
Taking a sabbatical: Will it ruin or grow your career?
A well-planned extended break will not hurt your career.
Actually, it can turn into a great opportunity and the biggest jump forward for your professional future.
Here’s why!
5 Reasons Taking A Sabbatical Will Help Grow Your Career
1. Avoid Burn-Out
How do you feel at your current job? Is it really fulfilling you? Do you wake up most mornings feeling happy about your day ahead?
(Hey, not every morning – we haven’t met anyone yet who does – but you know, most of the time at least!)
Do you picture yourself growing and evolving at that company?
Or do you feel like something is missing? You’re more tired and anxious than you want to admit, and you’re less inspired and motivated than you are expected to be.
If that’s the case:
Taking a break to center yourself, reenergize, and get inspired is one of the best things you can do!
By staying in a situation that isn’t fulfilling you, by handling that much stress and fatigue daily, you are putting your physical and mental health under a lot of pressure and you are risking a burn-out.
Believe us, burnout can cause more damage than taking that sabbatical year your mind and body are telling you to take!
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. – Albert Einstein
So it’s time to change things up! ,
>> What if the new word for our generation wasn’t burnout, but sabbatical? <<
2. Focus on self-growth
Our career growth is linked to our self-growth. It just makes sense. Even though we’ve tried for years to separate our professional life from our personal life, we can’t deny we are the same person running both shows.
The more you get to know yourself, the more self-confidence and self-esteem you will gain, and the more equipped you will be to grow your career.
It will be easier for you to set boundaries, to ask for what you want, to express your opinions… all of which are important job skills too!
And going on a sabbatical can help you do just that! By taking you out of your comfort zone, making you meet new people, and challenging yourself in new (and perhaps sometimes uncomfortable) situations, you will discover new resources within you.
Learn more about how sabbaticals can boost your self-connection, personal development, and well-being >>
“Take a sabbatical to focus on self growth” : Read the full blog here
3. New people, new opportunities
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn
There is no denying how important relationships are in our lives and how much of an impact they have on us. When traveling you meet people from different horizons, with different experiences. It will shake you. And that’s exactly what you need to open your mind.
You’ll come back with a bigger vision, new perspectives, and fresh ideas.
When looking for a new job, all these experiences will make you stand out! You will be bringing something new and fresh to the table!
4. Feel inspired
We hear people say they won’t feel motivated to go back to work afterward, so it’s better to juuuust keeeeep goiiiing. But why do something we don’t like all our life? That makes no sense.
After some time to decompress, you will likely want to go back to work – even if it’s not the same job. Professionals like you like to contribute and keep busy.
It may be a new project, a new business or industry, or a new location, but the important thing is that you get inspired about what that next change will be during your time away.
That’s the beauty of a sabbatical. When planned correctly, you’ll be super excited to leave (and a little scared too, but that’s normal) and you’ll come back with lots of energy, inspiration, and ideas. You’ll be happy to get back to a routine and a purpose. We know from experience.
>> Tips for a smooth return to work after a sabbatical <<
5. Live with no regrets, plan it now
If you have this urge for adventures and changing scenery, you better start listening to it, ‘cause it’s not going away! Even if you try to bury it deep down, it will only come back stronger – if not now, maybe in 1, 5, or 10 years. And you may wonder what could have been if you had just done it sooner.
With a plan to leave on a sabbatical in the next few years, you’ll be able to give your 100% to your job now knowing it’s not going to last forever. Plus, you’ll have this new excitement knowing you will be leaving soon. You can enjoy your sabbatical experience fully and come back feeling like you’ve lived the life you wanted to!
How often have you heard people talking about their trip and saying it changed their life? Well as cliché as it may sound, travel really does that to you! It changes your perspective, opens doors, creates new pathways in your brain, helps refocus on the essentials and helps to bring deeper clarity and sense of purpose..
You’ll come back with a clear head and a full heart ready to make your next career move feel even more important.
Do you believe us now? Taking a sabbatical will NOT harm your career – on the contrary!
The benefits of taking a sabbatical are vast! Even science is getting on board. One study compared life satisfaction, stress, and other well-being measurements for those who took a sabbatical and those who did not – guess who won?
Taking a sabbatical improves your sense of well-being dramatically.
The better you feel, the more productive you are! The more satisfied you are with your life, the better your energy levels. The more energy you have – the more productive you are….. We think you probably get our point. Companies want employees who feel good and know how to take care of themselves! It’s a win-win. If you work for a company that doesn’t take your health and well-being into account, a sabbatical break can be the perfect time to reassess your career path and find something that you truly enjoy.
Other Articles You Might Want To Read:
>> How sabbatical planning can boost your motivation at work <<
>> How to talk about your sabbatical in job interviews <<
Our mission is to make sabbaticals an intentional part of one’s career.
With smart financial planning, we’re here to help you plan your career break. so you can go after your dreams and come back to grow your career to the next level.
Like this article? Make sure to Pin It so you can go back to it later! 
