Sabbatical Archives - Women’s Money

22Aug 2021 by Samantha S No Comments

What I’m Going to Do During My Sabbatical

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what I’m going to do during my sabbatical. This includes more writing, exercising, cooking, and spending more time with my spouse, kids, and dogs. But, recently, I’ve realized that COVID has allowed me the time at home to do all of these things. While I love it, I know that my sabbatical will need to be about more than just that. But what exactly is that? Now I know what that is. For my sabbatical plan, we are going to spend 4-6 weeks in Europe as a family. The details are still being worked out. Obviously, some of the COVID variants are throwing this into a bit of flux. However, in Europe, cases tend to be better than in the U.S. But…

29Mar 2021 by Samantha S No Comments

Is a Sabbatical Like a Long Vacation?

Sabbatical Sundays

I’m currently working remotely and also taking some much needed vacation time. It’s wonderfully relaxing. I get to sleep in, go for runs once the sun is up, cook more meals, spend more time with my kids, feel less rushed, and still feel productive. And I find myself wondering: Is this what my sabbatical will feel like? And the short answer is: I hope so. Some people imagine a sabbatical to be like a really long vacation. For anyone who has been on a long vacation before, you know that towards the end of it (even the middle of it), you are ready to go home. There is only so much completely unstructured down time you can have. On the extended vacations I have previously had, I started having weird dreams or getting…

21Feb 2021 by Samantha S No Comments

I Set a Date! (for my Sabbatical)

Sabbatical Sundays

This week, I set a date. That’s right. I set a date for when I will officially be starting my sabbatical. I’m not ready to share what my date is just yet, but suffice to say, a year from now, I will be taking a sabbatical from my job. While I’ve now been planning for a sabbatical for some time, I hadn’t yet finalized some of the details - like setting a date. So, what led me to set a date with such conviction this week? Picture this: working all weekend and too many nights this week. Feeling beyond burned out and underappreciated. I had set up some time about a week ago with my HR partner to talk through something I wanted to discuss with my boss. Instead of…

31Jan 2021 by Samantha S No Comments

Finding Your Why for Taking a Sabbatical

Sabbatical Sundays

One thing I’ve learned in my sabbatical journey is that it is going to take a lot of extra work. Over the next year, I’m going to have to work extra hard, save more money, and skimp on purchases I might otherwise enjoy. This won't be easy. Whenever we are doing something hard, we need a really good reason - a purpose - to keep us going. Some might say that this is your “why." What’s Your Why? Discovering your “why” may be the most important question you ask yourself. If you want to succeed, it may be the most critical question you answer. If you want to reach your goal — a sabbatical, a year off, a trip around the world, or just a break — you must know…

24Jan 2021 by Samantha S No Comments

My First Sabbatical

Sabbatical Sundays

About 15 years ago, I took my first sabbatical from work. I quit my job with plans to spend a year traveling around the world. That was the goal. I wanted to experience the world while I was still young, without kids, a mortgage, or a real career. And I did it. Though, it ended up being about a six-month trip because, the truth is, it got sort of boring. That’s right, traveling the world got boring. Not because there wasn’t enough to do or see. But there wasn’t enough challenge. What I remember most about the end of my trip is feeling like I had too much time to think. I started having bizarre dreams about people from my childhood. It was all enjoyable, but it felt like a…

17Jan 2021 by Samantha S No Comments

Samantha’s Sabbatical: Intro and Frequently Asked Questions

Sabbatical Sundays

Hi. I’m Samatha. I’m a working mom, corporate employee, our family’s breadwinner, and mom of 2. I love my job, but I am ready for a break. I’m thrilled to be joining Women’s Money for a regular series during 2021 to tell you about my plans to take a year off. That’s right. I’m planning to take a year-long sabbatical from my job in 2022. In this introduction post, I’ll answer some of the most common questions I expect to get about my plans to take a year off work. Why are you taking a sabbatical? What are you going to do with your year off? While only a few people know about my plans, they have all asked me -- why are you taking a sabbatical? Is this like…

10Jan 2021 by Elizabeth No Comments

Introducing Sabbatical Sundays

Sabbatical Sundays

At Women’s Money, our goal is to help you fund your freedom. We help you figure out your finances so that you can create the life that is best for you. For some, the next part of your journey might simply be taking some time off. Maybe it’s taking a few months to travel, spend more time with your kids, work through a bucket list, learn photography, or write a novel. Whatever the reason, the focus of a sabbatical is to take some time off to recover and re-energize. Recovery is key to being the best “you” you can be. That’s why we are excited to announce a new series called “Sabbatical Sundays.” Each week we will feature an article from an anonymous writer who will be joining us for this weekly series…