Sabbaticals for Anyone, Full or Part Time.
Sabbaticals open up space and time to step away from things as they are and to explore in a way that renews you for what’s next. Not that “next” has to involve change, as in a new job. Going into a sabbatical, more than with a vacation, there’s hope that you can find a way to re-enlist in your life and work, on updated terms and for the better.
Stepping away, catching more than your breath and exploring anew sound better when they can be full time. This assumes that existing work can be put on hold while the bills still are being paid. Some professions traditionally make this possible, and some companies support short sabbaticals for tenured employees. Some innovation-minded firms support the exploration side without the sabbatical label based on variations on what 3M famously called 15-percent time. There, employees are free to pursue projects of their own interest without having to conform to established goals and priorities.
A Working Sabbatical is a custom, part-time period of regularly dedicated space and time for stepping away and exploring.
Meanwhile Studio proposes that between a life with no apparent room for stepping away and exploring and 100 percent going offline for a while, there is a lot of room for a part-time sabbatical experience for many.
The global pandemic beginning in 2021 made this seem more necessary than ever. It shifted our sense of space and time, our relationships and, with new vulnerabilities, our sense of what’s important. Even without a pandemic, some sense that their lives have been running them, or that they are a bit lost in how their lives have been changing, including the terms of success that were taken for granted earlier.
Some want something vital, old or new, to take more prominence in their lives and even lead them in a new direction. Here’s what won’t do: Rest for a time and return to how things were with a few extra coping mechanisms on hand.
What Meanwhile Studio calls a “working sabbatical” is a custom, part-time period of regularly dedicated space and time for stepping away and exploring. Our estimate is that at least eight (8) hours per week, on average, for at least two (2) months can lead to something meaningful. There are many ways to set this up, secure sponsorship for it, protect it and create the conditions for the space and time to be used well. Meanwhile Studio offers individuals help with planning, as well as guidance and coaching for the process. Occasionally, Meanwhile Studio hosts a program format for people to experience their sabbaticals alongside others in a group that meets regularly (the next offering is projected to begin in early 2022).
For convenience, it is helpful to imagine sabbaticals in three phases (see back):
Getting Ready. This involves the practical realities of organizing space and time for what Meanwhile Studio calls “sabbatical mode,” and to define what is important for the second phase, Exploring. Getting Ready begins the stepping away process by supporting consideration of where you are in your own life story and in what ways a sabbatical is important now.
Exploring. This main experience involves entering “sabbatical mode” for what’s in your plan. This may include focusing on becoming more at ease with “not doing,” relaxing the press to achieve, and living better with uncertainty. It also includes a wayfinding approach to decisions about life and career that adapts continually rather than aiming to get things “right.”
Next. Sabbatical mode makes it possible to reconsider life patterns and practices (how you go through your days and weeks), with possibilities for engaging both new and old life features in a more resonant, meaningful and sustainable way after the sabbatical period is complete. This may be about re-enlisting in what’s already going on or renovating life and work spaces so they are more fit for your going-forward sense of purpose.Having someone to check-in with along the way is very important to keep up the spirit of the sabbatical and to make adjustments to your plan. Having a guide and/or a coach also can help to get the most out of the experience.
Is it time for a sabbatical?
Too busy is one thing. Sensing that things are shifting under your feet--or in you, about what’s important to you--is something else. Perhaps you are bored, restless or disenchanted. Or, that you could contribute differently in the world somehow. Or, that you are just wanting to be more at ease with the future and its uncertainties and decisions you make that affect what happens.
Can I do this?
Making arrangements with key people in your life will take preparation and planning. If you are employed, checking the company leave policy will be helpful. Consider on what terms the person you report to might be supportive, including about how some work might need to be reallocated. Is there a window of time that might be better for everyone, including you?
How can I explain this to others?
Not everyone needs to know that you regard this possibility as a sabbatical. Some may only need to know the best ways to access you--and when you might not be accessible. You may want to prevent misunderstanding and also clarify something you are willing to share about your purpose. For example:
“I’ll be spending time on a special project in which I get to explore more openly some of my interests.”
“I am making adjustments in my schedule and how I approach my work so that I contribute more fully when I am here.”
“At this point in life, it seemed really important to get a fresh perspective on what matters to me.”
First, you have to be able to explain it to yourself in compelling terms, believing its prospective value for your life and not apologizing for it to anyone.