I would like to have a time-out, how do I start?

 

 

Some of you might have already thought about the idea to take a sabbatical.

 

Right in the beginning you should ask yourself some questions:

Why do I like to take a sabbatical?

Am I stressed in my professional career? Do I want to find myself, do I just want to relax? Do I want to do an external training? Or do I just want to escape from the daily routine and see something else? For each of you there might be different reasons, why to take a sabbatical.

Up front you also need to decide: is what I like to do also possible within a "regular" vacation, maybe 5-6 weeks?

Can I even afford that?

What does my company has to offer concerning a Sabbatical? Do I have to finance that myself, meaning I have to save that much money, to cover the time I am not home? In a lot of companies you can reduce your income some months before and after the Sabbatical and get your salary even during the time-out. Is it possible to sublet my apartment, my house, does my landlord permit it?

What would I like to do during my time-out?

Also there are a lot of different things, people like to do. Does it makes sense to do the Transamerican Trail, but have never hiked before? Do I want to stay on a remote hut in the mountains as an alpine herdsman, but don´t like cows and certainly not the loneliness? Of course even that can be a great experience, but a time-out which turns out to be a total disaster, certainly is not the intention.

How long do I want to stay away?

As written on top, you should think twice, if you really want to travel for more than 2 months or get homesick after two weeks. Maybe you can fulfill your dream even in a longer vacation.

How does my partner responds to my idea?

A very important topic! In my case - even so my partner knows, that I suffer from wanderlust all the time and that traveling is a big part of me, our conversation about my dream has not been funny at all. People who do not have this wanderlust can not imagine, why someone would like to be away from home for so long. And of course Iran and Oman are not the countries my partner wanted to see me travel alone. Therefore we did a compromise, convincing him that I "only" will travel 3 months, then meet for his annual vacation and then I will again travel 3 months. 

How do I get my boss / employer envolved?

Only after answering yourself those questions above, you should talk with your employer about your wish.

During that talk it is just important that you are not insisting on your right, but lead an open and honest conversation, explaning your reasons.I am sure there are options in each company for a solution.

You can also argue that after this time-out you are refreshed and can fulfill your tasks within the company with new elan.

My solution was, that after my time-out I will look for another position within the company, since my position could not be kept for me for 8 months. But since I work in a very big company, there will be no problem to find something adequate.

Statutory regulations / Rights (for Germany only)
What also is important to know: In 2014 there was a judgement of the Court, after which an employee - even in his time-out - is entitled to get all his vacation and also the whole holiday pay. Here you can read about it. (german only)