The corporate treadmill is pushing people to the point of breaking. With longer hours, more responsibilities, and 24/7 access to your e-mail through technology, you achieved your dream of making it up the corporate ladder. Only one problem. You don’t like it. You like the money, the perks, the benefits, but it is killing you and it’s hard to talk about it because nobody wants to hear your story.
Well, I do. Imagine escaping the 8 to 8 (since 9 to 5 isn’t even available anymore) daily grind and spending a month in Tuscany, taking a cruise around the world, or simply tucking your feet in the sand without a care in the world. Wouldn’t that be unbelievable? Can you feel the sun beating down on you while you kick back and have a Corona with lime?
The phrase sabbatical is actually derived from the biblical Sabbath which in ancient times allowed people for periods of rest and rejuvenation. Admit it, a long getaway weekend isn’t exactly allowing you to wind down at all. In modern terms, a sabbatical is nothing more than simply taking an extended leave from work to pursue a break. A change to have some down time, some psychological space, and being able to pull yourself out of the weeds so you return sharper than you were before.
It’s really a myth that you cannot take a sabbatical. As it stands, most of you don’t even take the allotted vacation granted to you from your company. Remember, sabbaticals don’t even need to be work related and they can last from a couple of weeks to a year or longer. I’m not recommending you ditch your career for a year, but when you are not gaining any level of productivity at work it may be time to have a discussion with yourself and your employer that a break is needed to recharge your batteries.
Do you have a hard time sleeping and constantly feel tired?
Have you lost your sense of purpose of where you are going with your career?
Are you thinking about a major job change?
Has the money motivator lost its lure?
Do you find you check your e-mail first thing in the morning and last thing at night?
Do you have a hard time concentrating at dinner with your partner or family worrying about what work has to get done?
Do you feel yourself going through motions at work?
These are just a few of the questions to consider, but even if you none of these really pushed your button, it just makes plain sense that at some point in your career you should break away from it all just to have some ‘me’ time. Just to site. Just to be. Just to watch the time pass by. I never thought I would say it, but at some point in your career think about taking a sabbatical even if just for a few weeks. Don’t worry about losing that promotion. You were able to get where you are today working for 10 or 20 years and perhaps you’ll even gain some insight or skills that will take you to the next level. Send me a postcard when you go!
Written by: Ted Jenkin
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