200 days of a rest: lessons learned during my sabbatical

“But I’ve always worked?” That is what I kept telling myself a little more than a year ago when I was weeks away from my job ending. I was going back and forth on finding a job (any job) so that I could keep working or following the lead of some of my colleagues and take a break before looking for my next role. I ultimately took the leap and went on break for 210 days. It was exactly what I needed to rest and reflect. I’d like to share a few lessons learned and encourage you to invest in self, in whatever way that looks for you.

First, at that time, I had been working in the Mayor’s Office for four years and when the administration was ending, my job would be ending as well. Them’s the breaks. I knew that was a risk when I accepted the job in 2019, still four years and a million lifetimes later, “knowing” that my job was set to end didn’t make it easy. I also recognized one of the reasons I was set against taking a break was because I felt it wasn’t something I could do or rather what someone like me could do. I work, I worked since I was a teen and the idea of just not actively looking for work felt kind of crazy. But, after a particularly bad community meeting I gave myself permission to do it.

A few disclaimers–I was lucky w/timing because my loans were forgiven in Jan 2023. I didn’t have that hanging over me. I used to do write freelance and felt I could do some writing to keep my busy. And I’m married which made many things easier and not as scary. Oh and I have no children lol.  I understand different circumstances make taking sabbaticals much more difficult.

Anyway, my main goal during this break was to rest and reflect.

I’m being real with you–four years in local government, at the executive level, is intense. The level of decision-making, depth of responsibility, the microscope you are under, the undermining to score points, the fact that every room you’re in almost everyone is automatically assuming the worst of you, losing your “free” time to constant emergencies and crisis; the liberty folks feel to mistreat, yell, threaten, and insult you is BOLD. And to have to take it without batting an eye, takes a toll! Even though I know it was part of the work (and there were far more outstanding, amazing moments), the physical toll wasn’t something I could ignore. I recognized I needed time to just –rest– and regain some feelings of peace. And that’s what I did. I rested. I napped when I felt like it. I got out more and made my way back to friends. Overall, a year out I’m happier and there’s a marked difference in both how I look and feel. Appearance is secondary because just knowing that if someone talks to me crazy I don’t have to take it, makes me feel so much better. If you have an opportunity to rest, no matter how short, take it.

My other goal was to reflect. Like everyone else, a lot happened. But more specifically I went from being a legal aid lawyer for almost a decade to leading a major portfolio for the third largest city in the country. Prior to this job, my career goals had been limited by my imagination. I couldn’t see past my legal aid bubble. This job kicked open so many roles and positions and organizations doing interesting work. I wanted to really think about what would feel right for me as a next career step and not assume I had to return to traditional lawyering. Taking a break let me really ask, what am I good at? What do I like? Don’t like? I took a ton of coffee dates throughout the summer with friends and strangers. It was the best decision I made. It deepened relationships and all of them gave me morsels of information and guidance even by just sharing their career. Not all were attorneys either so having the expanded view point really helped. This helped me hone in and really target the roles I was looking for in the space I wanted and even though it did take a little longer (two additional months) than I wanted, I found the right role before the year’s end. My main lesson to myself here was that I’m allowed to imagine beyond my own expectations and that all the things I find fulfilling need not be in one role–or come from a space of employment. I took on more volunteering roles to get a fix of what I like about lawyering without “needing” to have a job doing direct rep. Having a break let me really assess and plan.

So you’re reading this and are like cool story but I just started my job. Or I could never not work, who has that luxury? And ok fair. It is fair to feel apprehensive about checking out from labor. We’re sort of conditioned to reject the concept and often responsibilities preclude a true, long break. But I want to encourage those that are mid-level/seniors and ready for more senior or executive roles to think about a short break (it need not be 200 days). Consider what a small respite could do for your health and well-being. How you could strategize and plan your next step? It may feel out of reach but if you tell yourself that at some point you’ll take a sabbatical and start to plan now, it won’t feel so impossible. Beyond the finances, which are obviously real and control the length of your break, the second barrier is making it ok for yourself to do this luxurious thing. You are not predestined to only work forever and ever amen. Look at it as an investment in self, just like your law degree. Again with enough planning, a break from work can lead you to the most fulfilling role yet and often when it comes to careers that is the biggest luxury.

Would you ever take a sabbatical from work?