How long is a sabbatical?

How long is a sabbatical? By Sue Ellson

How long is a sabbatical?

By Sue Ellson

How long is a sabbatical?

Well, I believe it’s any amount of time you spend away from your regular work.

As a self employed solopreneur since 1994, I started taking 12 hour sabbaticals roughly three times a year on a Friday in 2007.

I grab a backpack with my lunch, drinks, notebook, pencils and fully charged mobile phone and I take a suburban train and a regional train to Bendigo in Victoria.

It takes about three hours and I love unwinding on the train.

When I arrive, I walk around the township in the fresh air, then I head to the local gardens and sit on the hill and have lunch.

I then go to the cathedral.

I sit in a pew and I write whatever comes to mind and reflect for about two hours before I make a donation and start heading home feeling completely inspired and refreshed.

Have you taken a sabbatical or would you consider taking a 12 hour one?

Let’s chat in the comments.

Thanks and bye for now.

How long is a sabbatical? By Sue Ellson

Additional Information

If you would like to know more about this sabbatical and the details, check out this article from 2015 that I wrote on the train home as it goes into more of the specifics https://sueellson.com/blog/12-hour-sabbaticals-can-be-successful

I have also written an article on whether or not you should consider adding a ‘career break’ on your LinkedIn Profile – after all, one of the options is ‘Personal goal pursuit’ which is probably most aligned with the idea of a sabbatical https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/linkedin-add-career-break-option-yes-sue-ellson

Let’s remember that sabbaticals can be whatever works for you – and they are not just for academics and authors! My general research indicates that most sabbaticals are between six and 12 months long and they are time out from an existing job. Personally, I cannot imagine leaving everything I do for that long (and I don’t want to either!).

If you work a four-day work week, you could consider doing short sabbaticals even more often than I do!

It took several attempts for me to get my sequence right and choose the right day of the week, the right location and the length of time to unwind and then rewind without all of the ‘organising’ it would take if I was going away for longer than 12 hours.

By catching the train, I don’t have to worry about driving or concentrating, although I do need to check the schedule just in case there is a bus replacement – that just wouldn’t be the same for me.

Interestingly, I have gone to other locations, in particular Clifton Springs near Geelong in Victoria which is where I spent a lot of time in 2016 writing my first three books! I drive there so that I can make a few other stops as well and it feels a bit like a short holiday but I still return home on the same day.

I am not a mad shopper, so part of my time in Bendigo is spent visiting a couple of shops to grab small items that I have on my shopping list (the non-urgent items that I put on a pending list). Somehow, shopping in a regional location away from a shopping mall is far more enjoyable and as a general rule, by going on a Friday, I don’t feel like a tourist and I almost feel (and am treated like) a ‘local.’

Bendigo is a large regional city so I have made other pilgrimages there to see art exhibitions at the Bendigo Art Gallery including those of Elvis and Balenciaga and I plan to attend the Frida Kahlo one as well this year (2025). I usually do those trips with a friend and enjoy some of the tasty delights in one of the nearby restaurants. If you go on a Saturday, grab one of the freshly baked almond croissants from Harvest Bendigo at 55 View Street, Bendigo (got that tip off a local Uber driver when I travelled with a friend who had limited mobility).

There is a fantastic Visitor Information Centre at 51 – 67 Pall Mall so feel free to pop in there and ask questions about other things you can enjoy if you decide to visit Bendigo!

The ‘stream of consciousness’ writing that I do in the cathedral reveals many fascinating insights. I don’t edit what comes from my mind to the paper, I just write it all down. I have gained some clear directions, gentle understandings and hopeful wishes from this process.

Although I have my mobile phone with me, I avoid checking any social media. Interestingly though, I often receive good news about business via text or phone call whilst I am having lunch on the hill! That is like a reminder that you can make time to get away and still be ‘on’ for part of it. I do however make a point of turning the phone off when I am in the cathedral.

Finally, just because my sabbatical involves heading to a religious type of location, I do not treat this activity as a religious exercise. Likewise, if your idea of ‘getting away’ involved going surfing for the day and not writing any notes at all, go for it! This is definitely not any type of prescription!!

What’s next? I am considering some new locations also accessible by train across Victoria – so watch this blog for an update in the future!

If you would like to share a little about what you have done or would do on a sabbatical, please contact me!

Other Recommendations

There are a lot of other Publications and Presentations on my website that may be of interest to you – or check out my Poems here. I have plenty of suggestions on how to use LinkedIn for your purpose and how you can optimise your LinkedIn strategy and tactics. Just contact me for more assistance.

LinkedIn Online Course

You may also be interested in the course ‘LinkedIn for me and my career or business‘ which includes a copy of my book!

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