In May of 2023, I fulfilled a long-term commitment to myself to take a mid-career break. After 23 years focused on a career that was equal parts stimulating, challenging, exciting and frustrating, I decided to step back. With the love and support of my family, I planned to take a year away from work. It was exciting and a little terrifying. I wasn’t sure what to expect or what I would find on the other side.
It’s a privilege to be in a position to take this time for myself – a fact that I recognize and for which I am incredibly grateful. My year-long sabbatical eventually stretched into a year and a half. With considerable thought and intention, I decided to take a new path in my career. I recently accepted a role that I’ll be starting in a few weeks (more on that later). With a new experience on the horizon, I find myself reflecting on what this sabbatical has meant for me.
My sabbatical provided an important opportunity to focus on growth outside of my professional life ā to explore the world, spend time with family, pursue creative projects, and create a new path forward. Essayist Maria Papova writes, “Life, like the universe itself, tolerates no stasis ā in the absence of growth, decay usurps the order.” Growth comes in many forms and is sometimes only recognized in retrospect.
Most of us document our careers in a resume or CV that attempts (and ultimately, fails) to summarize the totality of our professional lives. But our experiences, achievements, and qualifications can never be captured in 2-3 pages of tightly edited copy. The space between the bullet points is what truly defines us, both personally and professionally. As I planned my next step, I thought about how to address the time I spent on this sabbatical. Any concerns I had about a “gap” in my resume were quickly dispatched as I started talking to people about potential roles. Most people were excited about it, some were envious, but most were simply curious.
One of the most common questions I get about my sabbatical experience is, “So…what did you do with all that time?” I believe the question is born out of genuine curiosity and good intentions, and I’ve been happy to share my experience with people. So, here is a quick summary of my sabbatical, presented in bullet points š
- average wake-up time: 5:45 a.m. (some habits don’t change)
- 420 school lunches made (75% acceptance rate)
- 355 family dinners made (95% acceptance rate)
- 156 cocktails made (100% acceptance rate)
- 375 morning dog walks
- 1 school field trip chaperoned
- 12 national parks visited
- 31 nights of camping
- 53 hikes
- 13 ski days
- 9 Tahoe trips
- 1 bovine traffic jam
- 71,520 minutes of streaming music
- 35 concerts + 2 music festivals attended (67 total artists)
- 14 museums visited
- 18 books read, 3 in progress (below target, will retro)
- 15 bookshops visited
- 5 libraries visited
- 164 movies watched
- 175 piano practice sessions
- 3 home improvement projects completed (below target, will retro)
- 3 woodworking projects completed
- 3 leather working projects completed
- 3 successful rocket launches, 1 catastrophic failure
- 4 cartography conferences
- 40+ calls with colleagues
- 1 consulting engagement
It was a fun list to compile, but it doesn’t capture my full experience and what it meant to me. I’m sure I will reflect on this period for years to come. But now, it’s time to get back to work. I will undoubtedly bring my experiences with me into my next role, as we all do. With a fresh outlook and a full heart, Iām eager to begin the next season of my career.
Note: Fidelity of instrumentation is mixed, some metrics sampled and projected to derive an estimate.