Sabbatical – Your Time-Out from the Job
Taking a leave of absence from a job for more than a few weeks is unimaginable for many. However, the concept of a "Sabbatical," born in American universities, has also become increasingly popular in Europe in recent years. What can we imagine a sabbatical year to be, and how can it be implemented?
Stress in everyday life and at work leaves its mark. By engaging an autopilot, it often becomes increasingly difficult not to lose yourself between responsibilities, career planning, and to-do lists. This can lead to us no longer feeling comfortable in our own skin. It can even have serious health consequences.
A professional time-out – also called a sabbatical – can help prevent this. But what exactly can we imagine such a break to be? How long does it usually last? How can it be realized? This article is dedicated to these questions.
What is a Sabbatical or Sabbatical Year?
A Sabbatical (pronounced in English) or Sabbatical year refers to a time-out, usually from work. The term comes from the Hebrew shabbat, which means 'to cease' or 'to rest.' The Sabbatical year originates from the Torah and was primarily used by professors in the US as a synonym for a semester off. Meanwhile, the term is used for a time-out outside of the university context: We are talking about a break in one's professional career.
What are the reasons for a Sabbatical?
Reasons for taking a break with a sabbatical are personal and individual. It is often a means to get a breather from a stressful professional and everyday life with many responsibilities. As soon as we work as employees, we have little free time: employees with a 5-day week are legally entitled to only twenty vacation days a year in Germany. Americans often have a claim to only ten days or less. A sabbatical usually lasts between three and twelve months and is – simply put – a very long vacation with a specific purpose: to grant yourself a professional break.
Also, a desire for personal orientation and further development (apart from professional development, as supported, for example, by the Austrian educational leave/Bildungskarenz) is very high on the list. People who are between jobs or facing a new phase of life often feel the need to reorient themselves. They use a sabbatical as an opportunity for "Soul Searching":
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What is important to me in my life?
What do I want to do with my life?
How do I want to spend my time?
Spending time with yourself, without the influences of stressful everyday work, can support the finding of answers to such important questions and significantly accelerate their discovery.
Last but not least, a sabbatical can simply be an opportunity to do things for which we otherwise find little time in the busy work routine – be it more family time, more travel opportunities, or more time for our hobbies. In this way, we dedicate ourselves to what is important to us in life.​
What can you do during a Sabbatical?
Even though some may disagree: Sabbatical does not mean "doing nothing." Personal development should not be disregarded just because it might not contribute to the gross national product at first glance (in fact, it often does so very strongly upon closer inspection). However, many of us are no longer used to not having a to-do list for several months and are at a loss given the abundance of possibilities that the newly gained free time opens up.
So, what to do during a sabbatical?
A frequently chosen option is traveling. Free from everything we cannot carry on our body or in our backpack, distant destinations are often aimed for, such as Asia or Latin America. We often discover exciting cultures and new languages we do not speak. The Way of St. James (Jakobsweg) as a classic pilgrimage route is also chosen by many. Being left to rely only on oneself opens up many opportunities to discover and develop new skills and to find a new connection between mind and body in dialogue with oneself.
However, living out one's free time can also be a way to spend the sabbatical year. The Life part that was neglected in the work-life duality now becomes the priority, and Work (referring to classic paid employment) is banished from the vocabulary. Maybe the house needs to be finished, or the garden gets a makeover, or we spend more time with our children. The possibilities are endless – what would you like to do?
How are Sabbaticals and Career Compatible?
Many who consider taking such a sabbatical year are unsure due to the questionable compatibility with their career. A professional time-out should be possible because it can prevent stress-related health challenges like burnout. It brings different perspectives, a fresh pair of eyes upon returning to the job, and ideally increases motivation for one's own work. Personal development can, in turn, foster professional development.
In many cases, it is possible to arrange a sabbatical with the employer. Sometimes, "simply" accumulated overtime can be taken off. There are various models for this, which differ from company to company. Therefore, an agreement is always made individually.
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"But what happens to my resume if I am not currently in a specific job?" A "gap" in the resume that served personal development is no reason to be ashamed. Dealing with oneself and having a clear idea of what one wants (professionally) can leave a very good impression on new employers. Therefore: Be brave and embrace the gap! Even in your resume.
Alternatives to the Sabbatical
"What can I do if I can't take a sabbatical? I have small children or dependents who need care, so I cannot travel or even stay away for a whole year."
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Such reservations are naturally understandable; not everyone has the luxury of going on a trip alone for a longer period. But a sabbatical is not ultimately about traveling to as many countries as possible or checking off as many activities as possible: A sabbatical is also possible at home. Here, too, we can take time for everything that has often been neglected otherwise: be it the garden, our books, our family and friends, or ourselves.
Many sabbatical takers are seekers. However, exchanging ideas with like-minded people on backpacking tours is also possible at home: How about getting to know new people in your own city who are in similar life phases? Shared exchange can not only be enormously enriching, but the process of finding answers and new orientation is directly more fun.
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Programs for stress reduction or personal development can also support you in this reorientation. Examples include MBSR courses or programs for (professional) reorientation to broaden your horizons and get to know new possibilities for your life. In a Strengths Update, you can visualize your current strengths and skills, which you can take with you into new professional worlds. This way, you can get professional guidance and support in your process of reorientation to make even more possible for yourself.
