“The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter into one of the most creative periods of my life.”
Strictly not sabbatical, the above words mark the wilderness years of Steve Jobs, period during which he was on a hiatus from Apple. Capitalising on the opportunity, he built his ventures – NeXT and also went onto transform Pixar as a giant in the entertainment Industry. Jobs returned to Apple in 1996, and rebuilt it to be a mammoth that its today. In my opinion, it’s productive to take a leap of faith and go on sabbatical for betterment.
When set with adverse situations in life, whether it is health, family or any other reason that necessitates a break, there is no need to buckle down and give up your hard built career. All that’s needed is a whiff of fresh air, stay away from the hustle-bustle and start over.
Aside from compelling factors, some utilise sabbatical for rejuvenation – to start afresh with enlightened ideas, improved knowledge and invigorated spirit.
Fortunately, we live in an age where it’s possible to take a break and disassociate from work for a few months or even years. Sabbatical serves as a refresher for the mind that’s cluttered with frenetic activity.
Few do’s for a sabbatical:
- Secure your position in the company intact if you plan on returning. Have a healthy discussion with your Manager and explain why this break is a must.
- Prepare mentally for the fact that you will have to depart from your hectic schedule. Balance your finances.
- Learn continuously- acquaint with familiar topics in your field to gain a strong foothold and stay relevant.
- Acquire new skills. It plays a vital part in keeping the mind refreshed and improves brain functionality.
- Network constantly. It’s ghastly to come back from break and have a sense of unbelonging at your workplace.
If planned and executed well, Sabbatical serves as an inspiration in overcoming the prosaic day-to- day affairs and helps to reinvent oneself. This could be your golden chance to do all the things you wanted to do, but held back owing to time constraints.
Of course, it will be filled with moments of doubt, but don’t let it discourage you from taking a sabbatical. For all that you know, a break might give you the much needed strength and energy upon return. Take a leap of faith and go for it.
You may also want to read other articles written by the same author: ‘Stop limiting yourself‘, ‘Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity‘, ‘ Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential‘, ‘Be your own boss‘, ‘Broaden your intellectual horizon‘
About the Author:
Nithya Jagadish – A commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry. Having handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard, I decided to take a break for a while. Now, a doting mother of a one year old child, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day.
(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)
You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com.
Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent Sign up with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at support@hersecondinnings.com after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take assessment to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career.
Disclaimer:
“This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.”
