Why a sabbatical probably won't save you from burnout: A psychotherapist explains
Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2025 9:26 am
Taking a sabbatical, a long vacation from your main job, so you can do something you've wanted to do for six months - learn a new language, get a dog or finally start running. It sounds perfect. But is it always like that in reality? Sometimes the dream of "taking a sabbatical" turns into a disappointment: sleeping until lunch, boredom and a feeling of wasted time. Sometimes it becomes the very break in the relationship that we give ourselves, only to break up a little later.
How long should a sabbatical last and how to prepare for it so that you are not disappointed in the end? Mariana Franko, psychotherapist, blogger and founder of the psychology studio Sense, talks about this for Laba.
Who goes on sabbatical and why?
In the past, people had a clear division: work was for money, and hobbies india mobile number data were for the soul and self-realization. For example, my uncle worked as an economist and skillfully made things with his own hands in his free time. Nowadays, we increasingly have the opportunity to combine our work with self-realization and financial security, so the demand for activities that satisfy both needs is growing.
In reality, however, needs don't always align: a hobby may not bring money, and a job may not bring a sense of fulfillment. Understanding one's own needs and priorities is just one of the scenarios when people decide to take a sabbatical.
In my experience, those who actually take long vacations most often are those who:
- they want to organize their values: “What is work to me, is it my mission, and who am I without work?”
These people usually have a financial reserve and understand that they may not have to work for a certain period of time.
- are going through an age or other crisis and feel the need to change their life .
- they are tired or burned out.
Courses by topic:
HR and recruitment
«Career in HR»
Vlasta Sloupová, Denisa Císařová, Michal Kosař
E.ON, Carvago, Czech Savings Bank
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Business and management
«Project management»
Martin Fiala
Senior Engineer PMG Manager, Honeywell
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Whatever the motivation, people take a sabbatical for a change. And the before and after results often depend on expectations. Want to take a long vacation but aren’t sure if it will help you? Ask yourself: “Am I taking a sabbatical ‘for something’ or ‘from something’?”
Also find out how you perceive it:
- as if it were a day of rest, where you do new things and try out how it affects your quality of life, values, and motivation.
- as if you were looking for paradise - a fleeting place where you can escape from fatigue, problems, everyday life and where you will always be happy.
If it’s the latter, you need to normalize and adjust your expectations to avoid disappointment. In my experience, people often try to overcome a crisis or meet a need by looking for the perfect, simple solution and thinking: that’s it. But simple solutions rarely solve big problems.
How long should a sabbatical last and how to prepare for it so that you are not disappointed in the end? Mariana Franko, psychotherapist, blogger and founder of the psychology studio Sense, talks about this for Laba.
Who goes on sabbatical and why?
In the past, people had a clear division: work was for money, and hobbies india mobile number data were for the soul and self-realization. For example, my uncle worked as an economist and skillfully made things with his own hands in his free time. Nowadays, we increasingly have the opportunity to combine our work with self-realization and financial security, so the demand for activities that satisfy both needs is growing.
In reality, however, needs don't always align: a hobby may not bring money, and a job may not bring a sense of fulfillment. Understanding one's own needs and priorities is just one of the scenarios when people decide to take a sabbatical.
In my experience, those who actually take long vacations most often are those who:
- they want to organize their values: “What is work to me, is it my mission, and who am I without work?”
These people usually have a financial reserve and understand that they may not have to work for a certain period of time.
- are going through an age or other crisis and feel the need to change their life .
- they are tired or burned out.
Courses by topic:
HR and recruitment
«Career in HR»
Vlasta Sloupová, Denisa Císařová, Michal Kosař
E.ON, Carvago, Czech Savings Bank
learn more
image-123-650b0c07eafe2872084067.png
Business and management
«Project management»
Martin Fiala
Senior Engineer PMG Manager, Honeywell
learn more
lector-image1-620501d7acdbd353413506-min-64245ba146ec5892544567.png
Whatever the motivation, people take a sabbatical for a change. And the before and after results often depend on expectations. Want to take a long vacation but aren’t sure if it will help you? Ask yourself: “Am I taking a sabbatical ‘for something’ or ‘from something’?”
Also find out how you perceive it:
- as if it were a day of rest, where you do new things and try out how it affects your quality of life, values, and motivation.
- as if you were looking for paradise - a fleeting place where you can escape from fatigue, problems, everyday life and where you will always be happy.
If it’s the latter, you need to normalize and adjust your expectations to avoid disappointment. In my experience, people often try to overcome a crisis or meet a need by looking for the perfect, simple solution and thinking: that’s it. But simple solutions rarely solve big problems.