The 6 Types of Sabbaticals
There is no one-size-fits-all way to approach a sabbatical. We define a sabbatical as an extended pause from your normal day-to-day in order to change something about yourself or your life.
As a result, a sabbatical is personal and its shape depends on where you are in your life, your personality, your family situation and a bunch of other factors. That kind of open-endedness can be a bit intimidating. So as a means of providing you with some inspiration, below are some loose categories of sabbaticals we’ve seen — informed by the interviews and essays we publish every other week.
Don’t take these too seriously, they are meant to mix, match, and inspire.
1 - The Family Sabbatical
Goal: In most cases, you’ll get 18-20 years with your children before they move away. And, if we’re being honest, most children prefer to spend time with their friends rather than family in their teenage years.
The family sabbatical takes advantage of the golden window where you children are able to travel with you but not so old that they’d rather be somewhere else.
What it looks like: Two approaches:
If you want to travel during your sabbatical, you homeschool your children for a year while on the road.
You step back in your career temporarily to give yourself more free time to spend with your children. This can mean reducing down to part-time hours, becoming a freelancer, or taking a far-less demanding job. You eventually “lean in” again, but only after your children have grown.
2 - The Breather Sabbatical
Goal: To step aside from the day-to-day expectations of your role so you can recharge your batteries and reevaluate your priorities.
What it looks like: An extended time off from your job, usually 4-6 weeks and often paid for by the company. You fully intend to return to your current position, but with a renewed perspective and energy.
3 - The Burnout Sabbatical
Goal: To refresh your relationship with your career and work. You’ve put your career above most things and that hasn’t allowed time for some other things in your life to grow. Should you still do that? Are there other things you’d prefer to focus on?
What it looks like: For the first few weeks or even months, you’re recovering from burnout. This usually means adopting some low-stress hobbies or goals that have nothing to do with your career.
Eventually, as your burnout subsides you may find your attention naturally being pulled into surprising places. The space created by taking a break allows new interests and curiosities to arise. Follow these hunches and see where they land you.
4 - The YOLO Sabbatical
Goal: To have an adventure and scratch some sort of itch.
What it looks like: Knocking off items from your bucket list that a typical career structure made difficult. It could be spending weeks traveling abroad or finally tackling those personal projects you’ve been wanting to get to.
5 - The Creative Sabbatical
Goal: While you are a creative person, your day-to-day career doesn’t quite make use of those talents. A creative sabbatical is about giving you the space to pursue your craft outside of economic and career pressures. This is similar to a traditional academic sabbatical in which some research is conducted or a book is published.
What it looks like: Maybe you’re a writer who wants to publish that novel. Or a musician who would like to tour. A creative sabbatical usually has a deliverable or output that marks the end of the sabbatical.
6 - The Pivot Sabbatical
Goal: David Brooks calls this “The Second Mountain”: you’ve climbed one metaphorical career mountain, and you’re ready for a new challenge. Is it to double down on your career? Pivot to non-profit work? Change industries? A pivot sabbatical is about exploring those options.
What it looks like: Quitting your previous job and exploring the next step via a handful of tiny experiments. For example, if you are considering switching industries, you’ll take up part-time work in that space.
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Did I miss one? Let me know.