Five reasons not to take a sabbatical:

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1. You’ll become forgotten and irrelevant
2. You can’t afford it
3. You’ll lose momentum
4. You’ll get bored
5. You’ll fritter away your time

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Before I took a six-month sabbatical in the first half of this year (and indeed, during it) all of these reasons rattled around in my head like noisy, unwanted house guests. 

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Now I’m on the other side of my sabbatical, here’s what I’d say in response to those excuses:

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1. You’ll become forgotten and irrelevant. People are too busy with their own lives to notice. When you’re back, it’ll seem to them like you’ve never left.

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2. You can’t afford it. Can you afford not to? Also, there are plenty of ways to get creative and make it work financially.

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3. You’ll lose momentum. Maybe. Is that so bad? Slowing down and letting go is an essential part of rejuventation and reinvention.

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4. You’ll get bored. Probably. I did. Getting bored is also an essential part of rejuvenation and reinvention.

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5. You’ll fritter away your time. Get clear on the real purpose of your sabbatical. It’s probably not about achieving output. So ‘frittering’ can actually become a good part of the process.

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I’ve got lots more to share on the topic of sabbaticals. For now, if you’re considering taking some time out but haven’t taken action yet, it might be because of one of these reasons. What might be getting in your way?

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PS: I’m running a quick survey about sabbaticals on LinkedIn. Share your thoughts here.

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