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Original poster

Has anyone ever taken a 'sabbatical' from work?

39 replies

VisitingThem · 04/10/2022 20:26

Even though I've been progressing well with my career its been a shit few years. Pandemic, working while others were furloughed, insufficient staffing levels after, lots of stress and now a bereavement and I just feel like I need a long break.

I'm thinking about asking to take a 6 month holiday, unpaid. I would give plenty of notice, thinking about asking now for it to start May next year. Problem is I'm in a situation at work where they would need to hire someone else to cover me, but in reality they need to hire someone else to work with me anyway because I'm drowning at the moment.

It's the sort of thing some of my friends did in their 20's, to travel etc. I'm nearly 40.

Has anyone else taken a long break like this, and ask their employer to 'hold their job' so to speak?

OP posts:
Glitterspy · 04/10/2022 20:31

Yes, my husband just has, we are 40. He took a 6 month career break this year after a run of successes and a brush with burn-out.

He managed to have a good balance of chilling, travelling and job hunting. It gave him space to think a lot about making the right next step career wise and being selective about the new corporate culture he was joining (no more toxic masculinity leaders!)

At interview, he was honest about why he’d had the time off and was able to make the most of what he did with it. Employers in his industry didn’t bat an eyelid. If you have the financial cushion to do it, and a solid plan of what you want to achieve in the time (even if it’s just to distress and get a new outlook on life) then employers should view it as a favourable thing.

jeffbezoz · 04/10/2022 20:32

Can u also just be a waitress in bali for example, to make ends meet?

HappyHolidai · 04/10/2022 20:33

I did this when I was 29. It was great! Went all round Australia and New Zealand and had 6 months off work. I went back to the same job, though moved on about 9m later as I decided I wanted different things after a few months thinking about it.

My company didn't have a sabbatical policy and I probably wouldn't have met the conditions anyway, but my boss valued me and I would have gone anyway even if it meant resigning, so they were good enough to give me the 6m off. They covered my absence by doing less stuff.

LittleOverWhelmed · 04/10/2022 20:39

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Original poster
VisitingThem · 04/10/2022 21:04

jeffbezoz · 04/10/2022 20:32

Can u also just be a waitress in bali for example, to make ends meet?

That sounds amazing, but my partner and Son would probably be upset about being left at home :D

OP posts:
Original poster
VisitingThem · 04/10/2022 21:07

Glitterspy · 04/10/2022 20:31

Yes, my husband just has, we are 40. He took a 6 month career break this year after a run of successes and a brush with burn-out.

He managed to have a good balance of chilling, travelling and job hunting. It gave him space to think a lot about making the right next step career wise and being selective about the new corporate culture he was joining (no more toxic masculinity leaders!)

At interview, he was honest about why he’d had the time off and was able to make the most of what he did with it. Employers in his industry didn’t bat an eyelid. If you have the financial cushion to do it, and a solid plan of what you want to achieve in the time (even if it’s just to distress and get a new outlook on life) then employers should view it as a favourable thing.

That's a really positive story, I do have the financial cushion to be able to do it, and I would like to do it over the summer so I can spend all the school holidays with my son.

OP posts:
Original poster
VisitingThem · 04/10/2022 21:08

HappyHolidai · 04/10/2022 20:33

I did this when I was 29. It was great! Went all round Australia and New Zealand and had 6 months off work. I went back to the same job, though moved on about 9m later as I decided I wanted different things after a few months thinking about it.

My company didn't have a sabbatical policy and I probably wouldn't have met the conditions anyway, but my boss valued me and I would have gone anyway even if it meant resigning, so they were good enough to give me the 6m off. They covered my absence by doing less stuff.

My partner does think that I won't want to go back, its a very stressful job but in a location that would, in theory, give great life/work balance. The low staffing levels are scuppering that though!

OP posts:
Original poster
VisitingThem · 04/10/2022 21:09

This reply has been deleted

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

I don't think I would have any trouble getting a new job if my company said no and I had to resign instead, but hopefully I could go back to the same company. Saying that I am thinking about using the time to look into potentially becoming a contractor in the future.

OP posts:
Watchthesunrise · 04/10/2022 21:12

If you don't ask, you don't get. Ask.

AlloftheTime · 04/10/2022 21:13

I did it in my 50’s and drove around Europe for 4 months - best thing ever!

Original poster
VisitingThem · 04/10/2022 21:41

AlloftheTime · 04/10/2022 21:13

I did it in my 50’s and drove around Europe for 4 months - best thing ever!

That sounds great, I kinda feel guilty that I want this break to try and unwind and find myself within the confines of my home and family life. Taking a long time off feels like something you should do to Do Something Meaningful.

OP posts:
Original poster
VisitingThem · 04/10/2022 21:42

Watchthesunrise · 04/10/2022 21:12

If you don't ask, you don't get. Ask.

Very true!

OP posts:
emmathedilemma · 04/10/2022 21:44

A couple of my colleagues have done it - one went to live overseas and be a house husband while his wife was working out there as a charity placement through her specialist work, and the other used to go travelling. The later is no longer employed by us because they wouldn’t let her do this every year!

EmilyBrontesaurus · 04/10/2022 21:47

Not me, but a colleague of mine did this a few years ago. He just took two months

Zarzuela · 04/10/2022 21:54

I did it a while ago when DC was 3, to spend time with them before school started. Took 7 and a half months in the end.

My work had a process where you could apply for any reason, discussed with manager and they were supportive. My work wasn't covered but I returned to exact same job and salary.

I wish I had taken a whole year as then they would have got cover and that would have been better all round but it worked out fine. A colleague just had a year out to study, they hired a cover person.

Atmywitsend29 · 04/10/2022 22:06

pandemic, working while others were furloughed, insufficient staffing levels after, lots of stress and now a bereavement and I just feel like I need a long break.

I could have written this myself op, the working thru pandemic, short staffed, high stress, I lost a friend in covid and then a younger relative, and I ended up taking a bit of a break from work. I spent 3 months at home, the first month was spent solely recovering from it all and recognising the effect it had all taken on my mental health.
I connected with various friends, I spent time with my husband and son.
I found it was financially quite stressful because I quit knowing my new job didn't start for 3 months, but it was the best thing I think I have ever done for my self tbh.

Original poster
VisitingThem · 04/10/2022 22:26

I'm glad it worked out for you Atmywitsend, it sounds lovely a month to just recover!

OP posts:
AlloftheTime · 05/10/2022 05:52

@VisitingThem there is nothing more meaningful than having an adventure, exploring and having some new experiences. I returned to work full of beans!

Binfire · 05/10/2022 07:35

I did this ten years ago when I had two small children and my father in law had dementia. I was given a years career break, but in the mean time I found a very part time job (weekend receptionist) and ended up no worse off after paying nursery fees and was able to look after my children/ father in law in the week and work at the weekend. It worked really well, I was so done with working full time and passing most of my wages over to the nursery.
Im now back in ‘proper’ work 3 days a week, it did affect my career progression but saved my sanity and I’m so glad I did it. We got to look after my father in law through his last years of life, spent the early years with my children and financially we managed.

Binfire · 05/10/2022 07:36

I didn’t make it clear- I didn’t go back at the end of my career break!

FruitPastilleNut · 05/10/2022 07:44

DH has just taken 12 weeks off work as unpaid 'parental leave'.

We didn't even know it existed tbh and I'm usually pretty on the ball with stuff like that - but we stumbled across it whilst researching sabbaticals.

For anyone that doesn't know, if you have dc you can take off 4 weeks per year per child - every year. Only 3 weeks notice is required and your employer is not allowed to refuse the request, only delay it if they have a very good reason why certain specific dates are unsuitable. You have the same protections as other types of leave such as returning to the same job/salary etc.

Everyone in the UK has this same right to parental leave so worth looking into if a sabbatical isn't possible.

Original poster
VisitingThem · 05/10/2022 07:47

Thats really interesting Fruit! Never heard of it either.

OP posts:
Flowermarket · 05/10/2022 07:49

@FruitPastilleNut I knew about parental leave but thought it was a week for each year of each child's life up to 18? So 18 weeks total for each child?

Shamoo · 05/10/2022 07:51

I took a year out at 35, OP. But left my job and got a new one at the end (without issue). I used mine to study something not related to my career, just for passion. Best year of my life. Would definitely recommend.

I also took two months off at 33 to travel, whilst in the same job. But I left the job quite soon after returning as it made me realise I wanted something different.

Go for it if you can afford it

WellTidy · 05/10/2022 07:52

I’ve had two! Both unpaid. The firm I worked for had a sabbatical policy so I used that for my first one and requested parental leave for my second one.

First was seven years ago when we were going through a difficult time, health wise, with our youngest. I took five months (one month annual leave and four months sabbatical). My work was just parked until I returned.

Second was eighteen months ago. I had three months off over the summer. I spent most of that with our eldest as he has long school holidays. Again, my work waited until I went back to complete it. But I actually handed in my notice a week after my return.

DH has just finished his four month sabbatical. It’s an enforced sabbatical that his employer requires someone to take when they’ve been in a particular job for ten years. He has loved it.