Sabbatical Talk on the Career Couch

Today’s New York Times had an article by Eilene Zimmerman on “The Gainful Way to Use a Sabbatical.” Zimmerman discusses how to make the most of time off and how to pitch the concept to your manager. She includes perspectives from a number of consultants and experts, and the article is worth a read. I’d have to disagree, however, with the following statement: “If you’re burned out you should take a vacation, not a sabbatical.” The degree of burnout would certainly be important to consider, as well as whether a person is truly capable of vacating (well-established workaholic trends have moved some hotel chains to offer a lock-up service for one’s BlackBerry). Being able to disconnect and recharge – in a big way – in one or two weeks is highly unlikely. Yes, a sabbatical is an opportunity to do something business-related and step up in your career. But rejuvenation alone is also a worthy cause. It’s amazing what one can achieve when firing on all cylinders.