The modern sabbatical looks different. But its still worth it

The modern sabbatical looks different. But its still worth itThe modern sabbatical looks different. But its still worth itFor the purposes of this article, I wanted to be clear (for myself and for you) on what a proper sabbatical looks like.What is a Sabbatical?The dictionary defines sabbatical asa period of paid leave granted to a university teacher or other worker for study or travel. Traditionally one year for every seven years worked.Once widely practiced in higher education, sabbaticals were seen as a time forcollege professorsto research, reflect, and culminate their lifes work. In recent years, more and more colleges havecited budget concernsas their reason for scaling back on offering this extended time of paid leave.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreThe concept of a sabbatical has been adopted by other industries, but executed in different ways. Most workplaces do leid of fer a year-long paid option. And today, most colleges and universities dont either.Todays sabbatical looks less like a proper sabbatical and more like a career break. While the former is more established, the latter is more fluid. Career breaks can be anywhere from a few weeks to a few years. More significantly, they are mostly unpaid.Is This All There Is?At some point, most of us will look up and ask the universe is this all there is?The first time I asked this question I welches 22 a far cry from the typical 40,at which research suggestsmost people will experience this question like a sudden storm raging through their lives.I had just transitioned from anintern on Capitol Hillto a full-time employee. For the first time in my life, I worked a full 40-hour week, and it left me absolutely exhausted.That was 10 years ago.Dont tell any of my overachieving,Insta-obsessedfriends, but I need a break.Since youre reading this, you might need one too. But as themillennial generationis set sq uarely ongrind-mode, it can be hard tobring this subject up at parties. We are perpetually working on a new project, accepting a new position, or traveling to a new destination.The goal of this article is bedrngnislage to take away from behauptung achievements. Achievements are good, and our goals are worthy. In fact, I hope to add more of them to the running list I keep on myiPhone. But as we get older, the energy we use to reach these goals can and will be depleted.Can a sabbatical prevent that from happening? I asked a number of professionals to share their experience. Here are their storiesPam Kocke, Happiness Engineer atWordPress.comI work at Automattic, the company behindWordPress.com. One of the perks of my job is that after five years, we get a three month paid sabbatical. Automattic is a 100% remote company, so everyone works from home. My sabbatical meant Id still be at home, but I just wouldnt log in to my computer to work. In fact, I barely touched my computer in three m onths, and I avoided my desk.Because its fully paid, it was a no brainer. I didnt have to worry about saving up for it, and we didnt take a hit financially. It also didnt affect my career negatively. I work on a small team and my teammates had taken their sabbaticals already, so I knew how they would handle my absence. When I came back to work afterwards, they gave me time to catch up and ease back into everything. I didnt have to worry about catching up on three months of unread emails they all went straight to the trash (important emails were routed to my colleagues).My goals for my sabbatical were to organize my house, volunteer in a NICU, and sew. A lot of people use their sabbatical to learn something new or to travel, but I really just wanted to have as much down time as possible. In the end, I did rock tiny babies in the hospital, and I did sew, but my house is still a disaster.I worried my three months would fly by. But I think because I didnt try to do too much, it felt li ke a wonderfully long break. I was ready to come back to work when it was over, excited to sit at my computer again and see my coworkers. Its been about two months since my sabbatical ended, and I am still feeling the positive effects of the time off.Kimberly Presnail,Active InternationalIn 2016, I took a sabbatical at the age of 34. After over 10 years of unexplained infertility, I made the decision to start IVF treatments. There is a significant financial and emotional investment in the process, and it was my last attempt at conceiving a child. Since my fertility was unexplained, everything was essentially a guessing game.So many people tell you when youre infertile to relax. But it can be extremely difficult when you have a demandingexecutive job, on top of the endless fertility appointments and procedures. I was so petrified to go through the intense process of IVF, and have it fail without any explanation as to why. Id then forever question whether or not stress on the job play ed a role. I couldnt control the stress of infertility, but I could control my job.At the time, our company did not have a sabbatical policy. I had been very open about my infertility story with my boss, who is the President of the company. When I ran the idea of a sabbatical by him to ensure I had left no stone unturned, he was very understanding and graciously granted me unpaid leave for 2 months. In my situation, the sabbatical was pre-planned and I had time to prepare financially (approximately $8,000). Otherwise, it would have been a lot more pressure. Pressure I couldnt afford as I was trying to reduce stress, not add to it. Plus, no doctor will write a note saying I need to be off work for IVF, sounemploymentinsurance was not an option.I would be lying if I said returning back to work form a sabbatical didnt feel awkward. There is a stigma attached to taking extended time off work. A fear of being perceived as lazy or unproductive. In the end the IVF I took the sabbatical fo r did not work.Five months after returning to work, I did a second round. That did work and I now have my daughter Quinn. I do not regret my decision to take a sabbatical nor my choice to be so open about my story. But I do think changing the stigma needs to start at the top. Our company now has an official sabbatical leave policy in place. And Im so happy to have played a role in that.Lauren Barbiero, Associate Director of Earned Media,W20 Groupbelastung year, I went on sabbatical at the age of 27. I work for healthcare-focused marketing communications firm and have been here since graduating college in 2013. One of the many benefits of W2O is that after five years of full-time employment, they allow you to take a five week paid sabbatical. However, the sabbatical must be taken in full succession (no splitting up weeks) and no checking email for the full five weeks. How easy is that? Sign me upI remember the shock on my parents faces when I told them my company was going to pay me to take five weeks off and travel the world.I traveled to Iceland, Switzerland, and France. Overall a sabbatical was the best thing I could have asked for. Apublic relations jobcan be grueling (as any client service job is). With late nights, early mornings, long hours, andlots of emails. Getting to take five weeks off to experience places Ive never been before andlet my mind unwindand helped me feel eager to come back to work.So, Should You Go On Sabbatical?A sabbatical is not for everyone. Some people simply cannotafford it. And for those of us who are strivers, a break maybring more stressthan relief. However, like I mentioned at the beginning of this article, energy depletion is real. If you want to work on a world-class level, protecting your energy is one of the best ways to get back to producing high-level work.What Are Some Alternatives to a Sabbatical?These days, a sabbatical can seem like a luxury to those of us chained to a desk or dutifully caring for a family. You may n ot be able to take off for a month, let alone an entire year. But most of us can take one day.The word sabbatical originates from the biblical termsabbath. Taking one day per week to fully rest can be just as effective, and certainly less disruptive, than a traditional sabbatical.How to Make the Most of Your SabbaticalBelieve it or not therearedown sides to taking a sabbatical. Some people complained of issues with theirspouse. Others could not handle beingalone with themselves. And still others felt as if they wasted the entire time, only to come back empty-handed.To combat these negative aspects, here are three pieces of adviceFirst, find community.You are not the first person to take a break and you certainly wont be the last. Find out where others have done and copy their success. Check out theFemale Solo Traveler NetworkandGo Wonder.Make a plan.Even if the plan is to lay in bed for a week. Or to visit your sister the next week. Thinking ahead about what you want to do, and how you want to spend your time, is absolutely critical.Do something different.If youre used to looking at screens all day and being chained to your desk, do not do those things.This article first appeared on Capitol Standard.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people