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5 career/life lessons learned from 9 months of publishing Sabbatical: 1 - Some people are tired of false dichotomy between what I'll call the "quiet quitting"/ FIRE / digital nomad community and the "hustle culture" community. They'd rather alternate between periods of intense but fulfilling work and rejuvenating restful personal exploration and examination. A season for everything. 2 - Top performers like to optimize their career for learning and fulfillment, so why should parenting be any different? As a result, many working parents have applied the vigor normally reserved for career planning to planning their household. That means setting rules like no commuting, no business trips, and taking large blocks of time off to experience things as a family. 3 - Many of the people I interviewed took a 6+ month long break and returned to the same industry (and in some cases the same company). Sometimes, we just need some space to rediscover a new approach to the same gig. 4 - That said, as we watch baby boomers with careers stretching 50+ years, younger generations are realizing that careers are VERY long. You can have multiple phases and chapters! 5 - The internet can force us to compress our identity down to a single thing (oftentimes our work). Taking a break allows those other parts to flourish. If you've ever taken a sabbatical or several month break to figure out whats next, I'd love to hear from you via DM or a comment 👇

Need a break? Well, as Dean Marianne Lewis told WVXU’s Cincinnati Edition, there is a strong business case for employee sabbaticals. Less of a break and more of a meditation on one’s career trajectory, a sabbatical allows professionals to reflect on what comes next and to realign their goals, leading to a reenergized, refocused employee. Listen to learn more about how a sabbatical could benefit you: https://lnkd.in/eNAydiqY.

Time to wrap up the 6 month Sabbatical. It was great, but honestly I would not do it again, nor would I take this route if I could rewind time. 1. I really struggled to feel valuable and it was a bit hard mentally. I derive a lot of satisfaction from work and enjoy being around others. Having that removed had a much bigger impact than I expected. 2. While I had clear goals from this time off, they were not things like start a new business or launch a startup. While I feel I really worked towards my defined goals daily and made massive progress against them, it did not feel valuable enough for what this was. 3. There are a lot of people that reached out to have me "get involved" with things they are working on. It seemed like an interesting way to productively fill up some of my time, but in reality they just wanted free work. Unless it is something you are massively passionate about, I would suggest leading with your hourly rate card. This time away is precious and it has a cost - respect that. 4. Don't do this is you are just tired of your job or want to "skill up". That is not enough. If you are indeed tired of your job or want to skill up, then make the time within your existing work to change that. If you can't do it during your 9-5, you won't do it during time away. 5. Ensure your partner (if applicable) is 100% behind this. Not just like a "ok... sure?" You need to really be on the same page about this commitment. Having that made a world of difference daily.

Our company is gearing up for our first employee sabbatical next month. As someone who recently took a sabbatical, I wanted to share some valuable advice that greatly enhanced my experience: - Start by jotting down the key topics you want to explore during your sabbatical. This time off presents a unique opportunity to reflect on your career and personal aspirations. Identify one or two central questions to guide your journey. - Plan to disconnect entirely from work. This means uninstalling work-related apps, setting up an out-of-office message, and notifying colleagues and HR that you will only be reachable for critical matters via phone. - Be patient with yourself during the decompression period. It may take around a week to fully unwind and transition away from work-related thoughts. In my case, it took closer to three weeks before I fully detached from work emails and shifted focus to other aspects of life. Whether you have a sabbatical approaching or a summer vacation, I wish everyone the chance to decompress and rejuvenate!

It is after midnight and tomorrow (today?) is my last day in the office before starting an 8-week sabbatical. (This is a wonderful benefit Kaiser PLLC offers to its lawyers!) And when I say sabbatical, I mean fully disconnected. It is both exciting and daunting. If you count school, I have not had 8 weeks “off” since probably I was a freshman in high school. And we all know that taking a week off still means checking email and, most times, inevitably doing some work. Not so with a Kaiser sabbatical. What to do? There will be some travel, some relaxing, some much needed work on the house. But what do I want to get out of this? Yes, precious extra time with my two teenagers, one of whom is leaving for college in August. But for me? I want to gain perspective. On work, on relationships, on life. I plan to take a full week break from my smart phone and isolate somewhere quiet with my dogs, alone. As I have told people, I am Gen X. As adept as we are with technology (or not), we remember how great it was without phones you could put in your pocket, much less tiny computers and social media that would take the place of handwritten letters, long distance phone calls, and actually going to visit people regularly. I’m hoping that this break will make me a better person, a better co-worker, a better friend, and a better father and family member. So, if you don’t see me on here for a few weeks, all is fine. In fact, all is probably pretty damn good. Take care! I hope to see lots of folks soon! EDITED: Everything is fine with me! This is a semi-mandatory thing that we all do! Sorry for any confusion I caused! Haha.

🌟 Embracing a Brief Sabbatical: A Journey Towards Personal Growth and Renewal 🌟 In a world that never stops moving, taking a step back to breathe might seem counterintuitive. Yet, it's in these moments of pause that we find our deepest growth and renewal. I'm excited to share that I'm embarking on a brief sabbatical, a dedicated time for personal development, and a chance to recharge my mind, body, and spirit. This decision didn't come lightly. It's essential to remember that taking time for ourselves isn't a luxury—it's a necessity. It's a period for reflection, learning, and coming back stronger, with more to offer to our communities and workplaces than ever before. This sabbatical is my moment—my commitment to coming back not just ready to take on new challenges but also to be a better leader, colleague, and innovator. To my professional network, this isn't a goodbye but a short interlude. I look forward to sharing insights from this journey with you and returning with fresh perspectives that can add value to our collective endeavors. Let's normalize the importance of self-care and personal growth in our professional journeys. Who knows? Maybe my next big idea or project will sprout during this period of reflection and renewal. Stay tuned!

🌟 PAID SABBATICAL FOR EVERYONE 🌟 💫 After Covid, a team member approached us, to request a sabbatical, to go back home and visit family abroad. Playtonic didn't have a sabbatical policy at the time, so, what happened next: 😀 I asked the team member what they required/needed (always gaining feedback, is my main focus) 📚 I researched what other companies do and what is seen as best practice! 🎮 I asked the leaders in the business what their thoughts were. ⭐ I considered our values when it came to this policy. 💜 I created a policy based on all the research, feedback, our values and trying to do the right thing which was: ✈ The Playtonic Ltd Recharge - A 5 week PAID Sabbatical, every 5 years for team members! ❌ Companies that offer sabbaticals but don't make an element of it paid, are NOT inclusive of all people, on all levels. MOST people that could afford to take unpaid time off, would be those in senior positions and usually older. (not always but on average) 🤗 We wanted everyone to benefit within Playtonic for their hard work, dedication and commitment to us! 😩The initial worry at the time, was that the majority of the company, had been there over 5 years, so would everyone want to take it as soon as it’s announced? 🤣The answer: No! Because not everyone feels they need a sabbatical at the same time! You also put processes in place to ensure people give notice, that only x number of people can be on the sabbatical at the same time etc! Lead with your head AND HEART as spoken about by Dr Kirstin Ferguson AM 💙I created the video below to share with the team when we launched the new benefit! 👉 What policies would you like to see at your company? #headheartleader #leadershipdevelopment #humanresources #hr #leadership #people #peopleandculture #disruptiveleadership #employeebenefits #benefits #employeeexperience #management #leadership #gaming #videogames #gamingcommunity #studios #jobs #policies #HRcommunity #HRninjas

🌟Returning to Work After a Six-Week Sabbatical: A Journey of Discovery🌟 After an incredible six weeks away, filled with adventures, exploration, and valuable time for self-reflection, I’m back at work! ✈️🌍 The thrill of travel, the joy of new experiences, and the moments of pure bliss spent with loved ones will forever be etched in my memory. But, as with any journey, there were unexpected challenges. Amid the excitement, I found myself facing moments of melancholy during the quieter days when the schedule was empty. It’s a reminder that even in the midst of freedom, our minds can sometimes play tricks on us. 🧠💭 This sabbatical has taught me the importance of balancing adventure with mental well-being. It’s essential to take care of our brains, even when we’re gifted with time. Embrace the moments of stillness, but also find purpose in how we fill our days. As I transition back into work mode, I’m bringing with me not just the memories of my travels but also renewed energy and perspective.

Americans are famously hard workers, and the idea of stepping away from a thriving career seems outrageous to most corporate strivers. While sabbaticals are common in academia, they’re still uncommon in the private sector, and they’re often not financially supported by the company. Only 5% of companies offered workers paid extended leave in 2019, a figure that has only grown to 7% in 2023, according to a report from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). But the pandemic fundamentally changed the way people think about their work life, and some high achievers are realizing that taking a sabbatical may actually be a good idea. Read more: https://lnkd.in/exRHXssG

Whenever I write about companies that offer a paid Sabbatical, one of the most common responses I receive is, "What if my employee takes the paid sabbatical and then quits?" My answer: If someone takes the sabbatical and then quits, that's AWESOME. As Podia COO Len Markidan told me: "There is no long-term good that comes from two people being in a relationship that one of them doesn't want to be in." Consider Automattic, one of the more forward-thinking companies when it comes to paid sabbaticals — they offer it after five years at the company. After a divisive change in strategy this week, they gave those who disagreed an out: six months paid severance. According to CEO Matt Mullenweg, 159 people / 8.4% of the company took the deal. Further, those that were on the verge of taking their sabbatical or parental leave received that money as part of the severance package. This is certainly a large outlay of cash. But a severance offer like this is similar to a paid sabbatical program. It is a "tax" companies pay to ensure the team is fully engaged and aligned. But it's nothing compared to the months or even years of salary that would go to disengaged or unaligned team members. It will be interesting to see what the new(ish)-look Automattic does next.