Plan a Sabbatical

Sabbaticals are a great way to take a break out of life, rejuvenate, and learn something new. Whether you decide to go alone or take the family, you need to plan a sabbatical so that you get the most out of it. You'll also need to convince your employer, although if you're unhappy in your workplace and have the ability to save, you may be able to plan ahead and quit your job for the opportunity at a life-changing (and career-changing) experience.

Steps

Planning a Sabbatical from Work

1. Find out your company's policies. Some companies have sabbatical programs for their employees, which will determine how much time you can take off and whether you will receive pay. If your company does not have an official sabbatical policy, it will be up to you to make a case to your boss — or quit your job, if it's time for a life change.
   • If your company does not have an official policy, your best bet is to plan for a sabbatical that lasts six to twelve weeks. If you've been working for the company for fewer than four years, an even shorter mini-sabbatical may be more reasonable.
2. Create a sabbatical binder. Purchase a three-ring binder with clear inserts so you can organize your sabbatical in an organized and thought-out fashion. This will keep you on track and make the trip real. You will put everything about this trip in the binder, including thoughts, lists, photos, photocopies from books, print outs from websites, and notes.
3. List the reasons you want to take a sabbatical. Write down all your goals on a personal list. Keep these goals in mind while you plan the sabbatical. Here are a few examples of what you might be looking for:
   • Seeing new places
   • Relaxing, and improving physical and mental health
   • Doing humanitarian work
   • Considering a different career
   • Learning new skills
4. Brainstorm what you'd like to do. This is the fun part of planning. Look at your goals and decide how you would most enjoy accomplishing them. If you have any lifelong dreams, this could be the time to accomplish them. If you're having trouble coming up with ideas, try answering these questions:
   • Where would you love to go on vacation?
   • Is there anything you've always wanted to do?
   • Have you ever considered alternate careers? Or are you aiming for a promotion or "sideways" movement to a related area? Could you learn the necessary skills if you had the spare time?
   • Are there any hobbies you've been interested in, but never had the time for? Are there hobbies your friends have that seem fun?
5. Do the financial planning. This is the boring part of the plan, but necessary. Now that you have an idea of some of the things you might get up to, it's time to estimate the cost. Determine how much money you can spend per month during your sabbatical, and begin to research any costs associated with your tentative plans.
   • Ideally, save 10–20% of your available budget for unexpected expenses, especially if you are quitting your job to take the sabbatical.
   • Start Save-Money for your sabbatical early. Set aside a portion of each paycheck, try to pay off debt, and stop using credit cards while you're saving.
   • If you are planning a long trip abroad, look for more advice in the section on logistics.
6. Talk to your family and friends. It's often a good idea to wait until planning is well underway before you begin this conversation. Some of the people in your life may be more risk-averse than you, or may not support the idea of a vacation. Bring it up after you have an estimate of how much the sabbatical would cost, and what you would like to do. With a more concrete understanding of the situation, you can respond to their concerns reasonably and logically. Of course, many family members and friends may fully support you already.
7. Pitch the idea to your boss. Your sabbatical can be beneficial to your employer as well, especially if you need a break to regain your enthusiasm and motivation. Give him additional reasons as well, for instance:
   • If you are traveling abroad, consider whether your new language skills and cultural connection could be beneficial to your employer, or whether there are contacts abroad that your company does business with.
   • You might learn new, work-relevant skills through classes, personal projects, or visiting other organizations.
   • Offer to train coworkers or interns to cover any vital work that needs to be done in your absence.

Planning an Academic Sabbatical

1. Know your institution's policy. Universities and colleges often allow their faculty a regular sabbatical, but the exact requirements depend on where you are and what your position is. Sabbatical may require tenure, and is typically limited to a specific length and frequency – for example, six months of sabbatical for every three years of work.
2. Plan what you would like to do. An academic sabbatical typically involves independent research, although there may or may not be concrete requirements for what you have to show at the end of it. Decide whether you would like to write a book, perform field research, or work on a long-term project at another institution.
3. Investigate funding sources. Start looking at possible sources of funding early. Some grant-giving organizations, such as the Fulbright Scholar Program for U.S. scholars, provide funding for a wide variety of research abroad. Look into these funding sources as well as those relevant in your specific field.
4. Put the plan in writing. Write up a proposal to demonstrate what you'll use the sabbatical for, how you'll get the funding, and how this is all related to your field of research and the goals of your department and university.
   • Include supporting documents if necessary, such as lists of possible funding sources.
5. Approach the chair of your department. Bring a copy of your plan to your department chair, keeping another copy of all documents for yourself. Explain the sabbatical goals to the chair. If she seems hesitant, emphasize any exposure the research will get that may enhance the institution's reputation or bring in new contacts.
6. Help find replacements to teach your courses. In some departments, part of your salary during sabbatical may go toward hiring an adjunct professor or instructor to cover your coursework, while other departments may cover the cost themselves. Either way, if you have a good candidate in mind for the position, that can make your department's job much easier.

Planning the Logistics of a Long Sabbatical Abroad

1. Rent out your home and car. If you own your own home, or if your landlord allows subletting, renting out your living space can be a major cost-saver. If you're lucky, you can rent the use of your car as well for an extra charge.
   • Look into Exchange-Your-Home-for-Free-Vacation-Accommodation for another alternative.
2. Get your passports and visas. Check your passport and your family's passports early to make sure they won't expire before you return from the sabbatical. Renewing them can take weeks (or expensive fees for quick service). You'll probably also need to acquire a visa for each country you visit, depending on the relations between your country of citizenship and your destination. Contact the nearest consulate representing your destination country, to apply for these visas or find out more.
3. Find out how to access your bank account. Large banks often have "sister banks" abroad that you can access your account from. Contact your banking representative to set this up before you leave. Let your bank and your credit card company know when you'll be abroad, if possible, as an unexpected expense in a foreign country can sometimes cause them to block the card.
4. Get health insurance. Your current health insurance most likely does not cover time spent abroad. Purchase travel insurance for you and your family, or talk to your health care provider about paying for international coverage.
5. Look into schools if you have children. Do your research well before you leave, and compare several options for continuing your child's schooling. Young children often adapt to language changes quickly, so you do not necessarily need to limit your search to schools that teach in their native language.
6. Learn the language, if necessary. Start taking language lessons or listening to audio language lessons as soon as you can, and stick with it. Talk to native speakers or watch films with subtitles as well, since regular conversation is always faster and harder to follow than lessons.
7. Talk to someone who's lived there. Every location has its quirks, dangers, and opportunities. Discovering them is part of the fun, but if you can find out some of them in advance, you can save yourself a lot of headaches. If you don't know anyone who's been personally, join an online travel forum, look for public events in the local immigrant community, or contact someone in the organization you'll be working with.

Tips

• If you can't return to your old job afterward, plan a few details of your return before you leave. You'll at least need a place to live, and having an idea of what type of job to aim for is a good idea as well.

Warnings

• Don't burn any bridges with your employer before you leave, and don't let the approaching sabbatical interfere with your work. It's best to keep your options open.

References

See also

• Request Time Off
• Request Time Off on the Hub (Disney)
• Negotiate Time off Work when You Have No Leave
• Negotiate for More Vacation Time
• File Stress Leave at Work
• Take a Working Holiday
• Apply for Medical Leave
• Apply for Military Medical Leave
• Request Flex Time at Work
• Manage Intermittent Family and Medical Leave

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