How to Plan Out a Refreshing Sabbatical Step by Step

Standing on a remote island in the Galapagos, I was struck still by the mesmerizing views all around me. Other than the small tour group with us, there was not a soul in sight. There was a ruggedness to the landscape of this archipelago off the coast of Ecuador, such I had never seen before. You couldn’t help but gaze with awe at the striking black rock etched by years of time, the crystal-clear green waters foaming against the shore, and sea lions playing mere steps away.

A couple of weeks into my sabbatical I realized that I hadn’t thought of my work at all, for several days. I was relaxed, happy and present - enjoying this special time with my husband, in a bucket list place.

This isn’t how my vacations used to be. The typical “time off” of an entrepreneur looks quite different. With an endless list of responsibilities, you may resonate more with time away from the office that looks like this:

• I don’t have time for a big vacation so will try to squeeze in a few days at the end of the month.
• I just need to check in with the office each morning to make sure everything is going ok.
• I feel better if I do a quick check on emails every day, that way I don’t get so behind on vacation.
• It takes me days to finally relax, and then it’s time to go back to work.

My friend, the good news is it doesn’t have to be this way. You can learn to completely unplug from your work, intentionally, on a regular basis.

This is the third blog in the series Why Sabbaticals Are Important: The Benefits of Taking a Break. Today you will learn how you can plan your own refreshing sabbatical, step by step.

Make a Plan for Refreshing and Real Time Off

You should, and absolutely can, take extended breaks from your business where you completely unplug. Remember, it is vital to your health and well-being.

Make the decision you will schedule a break from your business. Then commit to it and put together a plan.

Peter F. Drucker says it this way. “Unless commitment is made there are only promises and hopes; but not plans. All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination.”

Make Your Plan for a Refreshing Sabbatical

To make the most of this time away from your business put together a detailed plan. When you prepare well it will allow you to truly unplug and take the refreshing, restorative break that you need.

Follow these thirteen steps to help you plan for a successful sabbatical.

1. Start talking about it early. When I planned my first one-month sabbatical several years ago, I scheduled it 6 months out. Depending on your business responsibilities you may need more or less time, but this is a good rule of thumb.
2. Define your sabbatical purpose. Ask yourself what the primary purpose is for this extended time off. Is it to take a truly unplugged vacation as you haven’t done this in a long time, or ever? Do you want to work on a particular personal project – such as what to do in a next chapter of life?
3. Get clear on what fuels you. As your desire is to come back from your sabbatical refreshed, understand what places, people, and activities fill your bucket versus drain you. Plan to incorporate rejuvenating activities into your sabbatical time.
4. Choose the best time of year. Look out at your calendar over the next year to see what is already lined up. Depending on your business cycles and responsibilities there will be times of year it would be difficult for you to be away from your business. There will also be some natural breaks – like a low season for your industry.
5. Decide where you want to go. If this is your first sabbatical, I highly recommend that you do it away from your home and place of business. (It is far too tempting to work on your chore list at home.) Getting away from your home base helps you to take a step back from your life and see more clearly.
6. Get assistance with travel planning. Do research in advance and consider the help of a travel agent, especially when doing global travel as part of your sabbatical. They can assist you in determining an efficient travel plan and scheduling the must-do activities in the area.
7. Plan well for coverage. Look at your main responsibilities in your business, and how you can delegate them for a period. Begin the conversation with your teammates or colleagues who can cover you in your absence. Talk about gaps that may need to be covered with additional staff or outside resources.
8. Anticipate problems in advance. Brainstorm with your team what problems could arise when you are away from the business. Thinking of these items in advance will help your team be best prepared. If you have family responsibilities, think of how issues should be addressed in your absence.
9. Train your executive/personal assistant. If you are not already using an assistant, this will be an important addition to make an extended leave possible. If your assistant is not already checking and answering emails on your behalf, it is time to train them on this process.
10. Communicate your upcoming sabbatical. You may be embarrassed to tell others you are taking a sabbatical. Don’t be! Societal norms that flaunt long work hours and no breaks have burned out many entrepreneurs. Connect with your most important clients and suppliers to let them know when you will be out of office and who is their “go to” person if needed.
11. Set up a real “out of office” reply. That’s right, you get to say that you are out of the office and will not be checking emails. Before you panic – you will also provide a contact name and phone number of who to contact for help in your absence.
12. Set up a sabbatical email folder. During your sabbatical, have all your emails routed to a separate folder. Your assistant can save the emails here that you have designated as the ones you will want to see on your return. (This was a lesson learned for me after a couple of sabbaticals, when I had trouble staying away from my inbox.)
13. Do a test run. If you have not taken time away from your business without checking in in the past, do a test run for a couple of days. Allow your assistant or others to cover for you, and handle things that come up in your absence. When you return you can discuss how things went and what came up.

Ok, it’s time to get started. Take out your calendar and set up your first planning meeting. Have the courage to press on to schedule this vital time away from your business. It will be worth it!

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to download the free exercise Questions to Ask When Planning Your First Sabbatical.

And for a little more inspiration to take the next step to your own sabbatical, here are a few highlights of our sabbatical time in the Galapagos Islands. Check it out here.