White-collar workers who are facing career burnout or job dissatisfaction should consider embracing the concept of a gap year to navigate their next move. Mini sabbaticals are short-term leaves of absence taken by employees, which resemble the traditional gap year that young adults sometimes take after high school.
They can offer space to reflect on career aspirations and potentially explore new opportunities. Taking a break can help employees establish healthy boundaries between work and personal life. Professionals can use this time for personal development through travel, volunteering or pursuing hobbies.
Mini sabbaticals provide workers with a chance to recharge and reduce stress, taking a much-needed break from the corporate rat race. This leave of absence allows for relaxation, rejuvenation and improved mental well-being.
Moreover, some workers are redefining what a gap year looks like, opting to remain employed while remote work affords them the opportunity to become a digital nomad. The digital nomad lifestyle offers a unique work experience that comes with the autonomy of not being chained to an office. It gives professionals the chance to work remotely while traveling freely.
Reasons Why White-Collar Workers Take A Gap Year
The Great Resignation was a turning point for the workforce in the United States, as the pandemic propelled people to reevaluate their lives. This entailed self-introspection on the type of person you wanted to become, what job or career brings self-fulfillment, purpose and meaning and whether you have healthy boundaries between work and life.
There is more to life than living to work, and feeling burned out. Since we only have limited time here on earth, it’s important to make the best of it. Commuting three hours a day and working for a micromanaging boss, while not being paid fairly and having to be subjected to toxic treatment doesn’t cut it any longer.
A gap year allows individuals to reflect on their careers, realign their professional goals and return to work with renewed focus and drive. This is especially important as around 56% of workers reported experiencing burnout last year, according to data from isolved, a human resources management system.
Common symptoms of burnout include physical, emotional and mental exhaustion, reduced productivity, feeling cynical or detached from work and a lack of motivation. Other signs may include experiencing stress-related symptoms, such as headaches or chronic pain, feeling overwhelmed, unhappy or dissatisfied at work and developing depression or anxiety related to your job. Burnout can also lead to forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating and diminished pride in your career.
A mini sabbatical also gives space for personal development, such as continuing education, learning new skills and recharging mentally. The decision to take a gap year can lead to increased creativity, motivation and job satisfaction upon returning to work.
What To Consider
Before deciding if a mini sabbatical is suitable for your current work and financial situation, you should consider the following steps:
- Speak to human resources at your current employer to see if they would approve of this temporary leave to ensure that you would have a job to come back to.
- If you have to quit your job, do you have adequate financial resources to take an extended leave from work?
- If not, you must consider taking temp, contract or gig roles to have a steady flow of income coming in.
- Once you are ready to return to the workforce, hiring managers may be curious and concerned about your employment gap, as a result of the mini sabbatical. You will need to have a compelling argument as to why you needed to take the break, and how this gap year helped you refresh and get a better perspective on work and life to come back stronger.
Source: Forbes
