Expert tips on planning a sabbatical

There are times when even a weekend break feels too inadequate for rest rejuvenation and pause Those times serve as a reminder to better balance our commitment to work with other aspects of life during the week And if the reminder rings too loud maybe itrsquos time for a longer break Like Australian cricketing superstar Meg Lanning who in a recent interview relived those moments where after more than a decade of playing the game she needed space for clarity to reevaluate her careerMeg Lanning at the ICC Womenrsquos T20 World Cup Final match between Australia and South Africa on February 26 2023 Pic CourtesyGetty ImagesAt this time she took a break unsure if she would return to the game to travel and even worked in a cafeacute for six weeks This pause she mentioned helped her extend her career If yoursquore in need of a similar experience three experts share ways to plan your breakLanning scored the maximum runs in the WPL Pic CourtesyDelhi Capitals TwitterThe breakdownAfsheen Dattoobhai creative life and executive coachToday it is easy to work on autopilot where you reduce the focus on yourself and increase the concentration on getting the job done To avoid this be mindful of your actions and your feelings and how they affect you and your work It might be a good time to take a break based on internal factors that could include tiredness irritability and burnout and external factors including areas that affect productivity relationships personal growth and development When you notice that you are not feeling and working at your best itrsquos a possible indicator that you need a breakFirst gain clarity on why you need a break That will determine its duration and effectiveness For instance if you require a quick reset or a reboot a short break will help The shorter the duration the more intense and authentic the break will be and the result will bring about a shift in your state of mind allowing for increased productivity focus creativity positivity and moreLonger breaks tend to have a different purpose like clearing your mind rerouting your approach or career and bringing in new perspectives This could involve recalibrating making shifts and changes in your life and career to optimise your best and most productive self It helps engage your efforts for selfdiscovery and personal growth Use it to explore new skills habits hobbies and travel Itrsquos also a time to reconnect with yourself and your loved ones and focus on your physical and mental healthFind balance donrsquot snowballAparna Gautam career growth specialistMini breaks and weekend breaks are important to avoid burnout and prevent the need for a longer break You can take precautions and preventive actions to ensure a good worklife balance Rest on the weekends find peace during the week mdash this is important so that you donrsquot shut down before you accomplish your goals and your health is not affected so that you can enjoy your success But of course when a long break is needed where you take a step back from work for the sake of your mental and physical health it is important to plan it well to can make the most out of itPlan it the break in terms of financial commitments assess your expenses and your willingness to reduce them itrsquos good to have one yearrsquos savings so yoursquore not forced to rush back to resume work before yoursquore ready Take shorter breaks before you finally take a long break to ease into the rhythm and manage the new environment that the latter will bring Be disciplined about sticking to the purpose of your break set boundaries and follow actions that align with your purpose whether that is searching researching or restingYou know bestSachin Bhatnagar career counsellorTo know when the time is right for a break turn your focus within and listen to your inner voice We ourselves know what we want and what is best for us To get clarity from your mind engage in contemplative exercises during meditation journalling and breathing exercises which will help analyse the situation and come through with a clear conclusion Once on the break find and follow your happiness without deadlines and worryCase study Proper planning and clarityI was thinking about taking an indefinite break since the start of 2022 and finally made the decision in October 2022 During that period I spoke to people who had done the same to understand what to expect and how to plan my break This helped me realise that I did not want a sabbatical even though it was offered but a proper step backI faced questions from others but I had no regrets because I knew exactly what I wanted and what would suit me It was the monotonous life workload and my wanting to focus more on my physical and mental health that made me take the break At the moment I am relaxing engaging with what I like doing best and Irsquom open to an exciting future for when the time is rightRaissa Fichardo 31 exdirector design user experience