Sabbatical – An Eagle Eye View
‘Imagine’ went John Lennon painting a utopian world where the sun shone, countries remained undivided, people shared everything *Sigh* Imagine says I… When you could a break from your job, travel the world or learn a new thing and come back to the same job that is waiting for you, wouldn’t that be bliss? Whoa!! Hold on, you say there is such a magical treat available and I want to believe it is called Sabbatical!!
What in the name of ______ is sabbatical?
Not wishing to confess my ignorance and not wanting to sound like a village fool, I quickly cast about searching, about Sabbatical and discovered that the world wide web has plethora of information on it. Feeling astounded and amazed like Columbus the explorer, I mapped the rugged terrains and hidden ravines of this wonderful opportunity called sabbatical and here is what I found out about sabbatical…
Sabbatical in theory; on paper…
The prospect of a long vacation unencumbered by the deadlines may send us into a tizzy and when it comes with money, it can unhinge the majority of us ( I mean who would not like to spend time doing nothing on somebody else’s wallet). But if you are the determined fella, you can maximise your benefits with your sabbatical.
1/4. A sabbatical averts the impending burnout on the job.
2/4. Your body that was swimming in the oceans of coffee/tea with the flotsam’s of junk (food) now has a chance to mend and repair itself.
3/4. You might shed your blinkers and regain your objectivity.
4/4. You could impress your boss with the new skills you learned on vacation. Who knows, your boss might just abdicate his seat in your favour (don’t you wish).
AND the possible reality of a sabbatical…
The idea is not to put you off if you are planning one. But this is a Reality… Sabbatical when handled with proper planning deals you a good hand but sometimes the after effects of sabbatical are devastating with your life spinning out of control. Choose wisely before embarking on a sabbatical. Read on…
1/4. Inflow of cash dwindles/dries up.
Though the company may offer a paid sabbatical, you can be assured that it will not encompass all your expenditure unless you plan to scrimp your way through the world.
You could come up with Einstein-esque idea of earning hard cash by working temporarily through your jaunts but this is based on the assumption that there is a job waiting with your name on it! If your assumption proves false, the money pool is going to dwindle into money drops soon turning into dried up cash flow. The only other option is your savings!
The money you had saved for a rainy day will be spent on footing your expenditures. Gone is the security of having a nest egg to tide you over difficult times.
2/4. The hard grind extends.
Since you probably are going to shrink your savings to an impressive size, you will have to work all the more to infuse the wilting savings.
This means you either have to do lots of overtime (if allowed in your company) or you just cannot take that early retirement that you were intending to have.
While your friends lie by the poolside sipping Daiquiris’ and planning new adventures, you will be glued to the desk labouring over the excel sheets and presentations.
3/4. Career growth stalls.
Taking time off will often have a negative repercussion on your career growth. How strong will the backlash will be is impossible to predict but there will be a backlash for sure. If you are planning on transition to another company, the long gap in your resume will act like a red flag preventing your hiring.
Most often you will have to settle for a job for which you will be overqualified or you may find that your skills have become redundant. This will result in frustration and stress.
4/4. A few ‘friendships’ go for a toss.
You return from your sabbatical, all rosy, glowing and filled with news, gossips and wonders about the places you saw only to realize that your friends are least interested in it.
What is even more painful is the fact that there is a wide chasm separating you and your friends. You realize that while you were surfing in Hawaii, your friends climbed up another rung in the ladder of success. While you were disbursing cash like confetti, your friends are lining their savings with more money.
Your interests and your aims have diverged… … …