In order to conduct one's sabbatical well, it is important to understand the nature of the physiological and psychological changes that are going to unfold over your break. Once we understand these, we can then decide what to emphasise in order to meet our sabbatical goals -- do we emphasise rest and recovery, do we emphasise reconnection or creativity or exploration....all these questions become much easier to answer once you get a handle on the process.

 

As you enter your sabbatical, your old self is going to want to drag you back to the cortisol-rich environment of work. Resisting this withdrawal symptom is the most important thing you need to do. If you manage that part well, the rest of the sabbatical unfolds quite automatically.

 

Sabbaticals are like sleep

Just as we sleep in phases, it seems that sabbaticals also follow a similar pattern.