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Original poster

Have you taken a career break / sabbatical? Would you recommend it?

17 replies

snowangeljoytotheworld · 05/06/2023 23:05

DH and I have spoken for years about the possibility of me taking a career break / sabbatical. I don’t particularly like my job or find it fulfilling and would love to spend more time at home. I didn’t get to spend very long on maternity leave after my first pregnancy as we couldn’t really afford it, and then my second maternity leave was during the first lockdown.

Our kids are 7 and 3 and we’re now finally in a position where I think we can afford for me to take time off and be a SAHM for at least 12-18 months. I’ll need another few months to save up some extra money as a buffer, just in case. But I think it can work!

I’m ridiculously excited. I will need to apply for it at work but I’ve been there a long time and there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be approved as the policy allows for it.

Has anyone else done this? How was it? Any tips?

OP posts:
JandalsAlways · 05/06/2023 23:15

Yes. My DH has done this three times and I have done this twice. We have friends who have done this too. We figure we should take breaks and enjoy our lives while we can rather than wait for retirement. Once we went travelling for 6 months together. Other times just stayed at home. Definitely would recommend it in a heart beat!

Original poster
snowangeljoytotheworld · 06/06/2023 06:58

We figure we should take breaks and enjoy our lives while we can rather than wait for retirement.

This is exactly it! I want to enjoy the time I have now, especially whilst the kids are still so young.

I actually think I’d rather work longer but with breaks / part time along the way, than work full time and retire early.

Glad it worked out so well for you.

OP posts:
JandalsAlways · 06/06/2023 07:27

I'd totally do it, I haven't regretted it at all. The only issue is loss of income, but in some ways you also spend less as you aren't doing the commute, having lunch out etc. It's time you can't get back (I think)

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dubyalass · 06/06/2023 07:46

Yes and yes - a bit different to your situation but I took a sabbatical and moved away for a year to do a master's. Loved it and will do it again if circumstances allow.

Original poster
snowangeljoytotheworld · 08/06/2023 12:44

dubyalass · 06/06/2023 07:46

Yes and yes - a bit different to your situation but I took a sabbatical and moved away for a year to do a master's. Loved it and will do it again if circumstances allow.

Sound amazing!! I am having a terrible week at work and I cannot bloody wait to leave it all behind for a while.

OP posts:
AffIt · 08/06/2023 13:51

Yes - I took six months out in 2019 / 2020 (very fortunately just before Covid!). It was the year I turned 40 and I called it my 'grown-up gap year'. Saved for two years to do it.

Travelled across south-east Asia and parts of the Indian sub-continent with my OH, who took a slightly longer sabbatical and then travelled onto Oceania.

It was brilliant and I highly recommend it. Hopefully I'll do something similar in about ten years, as the firm I work for has a great policy once you've achieved a certain tenure.

Original poster
snowangeljoytotheworld · 08/06/2023 14:11

Wow you have all done such amazing things with your time off.

I just plan to be a SAHM for a bit 😊

OP posts:
CapitanSandy · 08/06/2023 15:41

Sounds brilliant! Absolutely go for it if you can. My only worry about a career break/ sabbatical would be not wanting to go back!

Original poster
snowangeljoytotheworld · 08/06/2023 15:43

CapitanSandy · 08/06/2023 15:41

Sounds brilliant! Absolutely go for it if you can. My only worry about a career break/ sabbatical would be not wanting to go back!

If I’m totally honest, I’m hoping to look for other options whilst I’m off. I really hate my job!!

OP posts:
skippy67 · 08/06/2023 15:51

Yes. We moved abroad for 3 years for DH's job. Best thing we ever did. I was a SAHM, and I loved it! I went back to the same job when we returned. 3 years away wasn't long enough!😅

Izzabird · 08/06/2023 15:56

I wouldn't do it without having some larger plan -- to move abroad for a stint, to study, retrain, experiment with a new direction etc. It doesn't seem to me worthwhile to use an opportunity that presumably won't be possible again, or at least not for many years, to just be at home more.

Original poster
snowangeljoytotheworld · 08/06/2023 15:59

Izzabird · 08/06/2023 15:56

I wouldn't do it without having some larger plan -- to move abroad for a stint, to study, retrain, experiment with a new direction etc. It doesn't seem to me worthwhile to use an opportunity that presumably won't be possible again, or at least not for many years, to just be at home more.

No reason why it wouldn’t be possible again 😊

OP posts:
NorthernSpiceGirl · 08/06/2023 16:02

I took a sabbatical to do an MA and the added benefit was spending much more time at home. I studied while DCs were at nursery/school and was able to drop them off and pick them up and generally spend more time with them. It was such a good decision and made me realise how much we had all been suffering through me working like a stressed donkey. I had to go back to the same job afterwards because we couldn’t afford for me not to but I had a different attitude towards my job when I went back. I didn’t take it as seriously, which reduced my stress levels and gave me headspace to eventually find a job I was happier with. So, the sabbatical was a win, win, win. If you can afford it, do it!

Original poster
snowangeljoytotheworld · 08/06/2023 18:23

NorthernSpiceGirl · 08/06/2023 16:02

I took a sabbatical to do an MA and the added benefit was spending much more time at home. I studied while DCs were at nursery/school and was able to drop them off and pick them up and generally spend more time with them. It was such a good decision and made me realise how much we had all been suffering through me working like a stressed donkey. I had to go back to the same job afterwards because we couldn’t afford for me not to but I had a different attitude towards my job when I went back. I didn’t take it as seriously, which reduced my stress levels and gave me headspace to eventually find a job I was happier with. So, the sabbatical was a win, win, win. If you can afford it, do it!

That all sounds amazing!

OP posts:
LilyBayswater · 09/06/2023 00:24

I am self employed and we are broke
But I would love to do something like this
Def a Masters at some point

One thing I read about recently which I loved the idea of is a volunteer sabbatical.
Where I step back from anything that isn't paid. Need to do that.

Sammysquiz · 09/06/2023 06:44

Yes, it was bloody amazing! You need a plan for what happens afterwards though. You don’t want to be going back to a job you hate otherwise that’ll loom over you like a dark cloud!

WulyJmpr · 09/06/2024 09:30

Did you end up taking your career break, OP? 😀

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