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This coming Friday, I’m going to try something I’ve never really done - I’m planning a one day long solo sabbatical.  I’d like it to be longer, but my family seems to enjoy eating.  Every day even.  ;)

I don’t want to talk much about what I’m planning - I just want to warn folks that I do plan on being unavailable for the entire day as I plan to totally “unplug” from the web, email, and phone calls.

I’m also curious whether any Boyink.com readers have purposefully taken sabbaticals before, how long you were able to do it, what you did during that time, and what you remember most about it.

Comments are closed, but you can read the comments other people left.

1. Olivia on November 01, 2005

   I have purposely taken sabbaticals before, and find them absolutely essential to my own creativity and productivity.  This is in good part because I struggle with “unplugging” on a daily basis. 

   Sabbaticals I have taken include short ones at home, and formal vacations (only available to family by phone in emergency).  They also include involuntary ones due to unexpected illnesses/surgeries that were—-interestingly—-also very valuable.  I find the benefits vary directly with how thoroughly I was able to “unplug”. 

   I usually read, sleep, read, pray, read, walk, read, and read. 

   What I remember most is how happy and peaceful I felt, and how glad I was that I did it.  I also knew I would forget how glad I was that I did it, and hestitate to do it again, for productivity’s sake.

   Catching up afterwards is a bit of a bear, but if your sabbatical is short, it shouldn’t be much of a problem.  It’s also worth it!

   In summary: Highly Recommended!  Have a good one…

2. Clay Clarkson on November 01, 2005

   That sounds more like a micro-sabbatical to me. What I need is a true sabbatical—a month away knowing that work and crises aren’t piling up on my desk. That would assume staff, though, which I have not. So I, like you, have to settle for the micro-sabbatical. My problem is I am so mental that my mind NEVER stops working. I find it almost impossible to make my neural transmitters stop firing in just one day. I find it exhausting trying to relax. I think I need professional help. Give us a report on your day, if it was successful, and what worked well. Think I’ll plan one in my schedule. Let’s see…January? no…February? no…

3. James Higginbotham on November 02, 2005

   I am actually taking a micro sabbatical this weekend! A friend has a house on a river, where it will be cool enough for a fire at night and warm enough during the day to lay in the hammock. My plan is to pray for something that has been on my heart for a while, spend time with family and friends, and come back refreshed and with the next steps that God wants me to take.

   I usually try to take a trip like this during the summer, but missed it this year. I’m also hoping that I can start taking every 4th Fri off for longer weekends from work to refresh my mind and spark creativity.

   Let us know how yours goes!

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