My Sabbatical @ 2 Weeks. What I Have Learned.

Take A Breath. Enjoy Looking Up & Around

As I shared in a recent post, I have started a 12-week paid sabbatical away from the office.

As part of my time away, I committed to sharing my learning & experiences ever so often. Here are my learnings at the two-week mark.

While they say it takes 21 days to create a habit, I am well on my way towards new, healthy habits.

Sabbatical Learning. Ditch The Dopamine

On my last day of work, I uninstalled Microsoft Outlook and uninstalled my messaging/communication app, Microsoft Teams. I must admit the first 4-5 days, I was still checking my phone for email incessantly. At first, it was about the dopamine fix I needed given the last 15 years of emails and countless reminders of actions, meetings and nonstop activity. Then it became the fear of not knowing what was going on and the fear of not being needed.  After about 5 days, I took a breath and realize that there was nothing to do, no one needed me and that is a good thing.

The only items that need my daily attention is a few personal emails and my commitment to being a father & spouse.

I finally have the chance to be engaged in what was going on around me. It is refreshing.

An Important First Week & The Gorilla

As I was planning my sabbatical, I was intentional about planning my first week. I wanted an environment that would pull me away from routine and force me to be active, busy and engaged in something I enjoy. More or less I needed a distraction from the unhealthy vices of work.   I decided to plan a fishing week in Mexico with my father. A father, son trip if you will. It was fantastic. It allowed me to spend time with family, physically be in a different environment and allowed me to ease into my sabbatical. The alternative was the risk of looking at email, catching up on house chores or projects I had planned.

As I went into that first Sunday evening, I must admit the gorilla was no where to be found. He was not sitting on my chest; he was not lurking in the corner and the mental anxiety I have EVERY Sunday afternoon wasn’t there. It was a profound feeling.

Have A Plan Or Rough Outline

I have always been someone who is planful about how I spend my time. I am not the sort of person to sit around and read for a full day or watch hours of TV. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good movie and popcorn, but it is just not who I am. At the two-week mark of my sabbatical, I have realized that having a loose plan for a day is helpful as it keeps me focused, but also allows me to have a sense of accomplishment. Each morning, I do check my personal email, calendar and make sure that I am mindful of anything that needs to be taken care of – kids schedules, bills and finances and even a few house projects or errands.

Outside of that, it is about what the day brings and being flexible. It is a profound feeling to not be tied to the non stop commitments between 9 and 5.  It is a differently feeling that takes some getting used to.

Sabbatical Learning. You Still Have Responsibilities

Today, Microsoft Outlook is at the center of how I stay organized. It keeps my email and meetings of all shapes and sizes. Microsoft Outlook also manages my contacts. Although I did my best to sever ties, I realized how hard it was to stay organized without it. I also realize that I still have commitments & responsibilities that I need to manage.

Even thought I am not working per se, I still have responsibilities that include my involvement in the community and responsibilities as a parent and spouse. I also need to plan ahead. (e.g. think family vacation) Previously, I shared how my wife & I start the day, but this took an adjustment. Let’s say that the consumer version of mail & calendar leaves a lot to be desired. Instead, I have re-installed Outlook (for personal email and use it to manage our daily activities and communications. I quickly realize that I don’t always have a full day wide open but more importantly I have a much better way to manage commitment and my responsibilities.

Two weeks down and ten weeks to go. A deep sigh for what has already been a remarkable experience.

In two weeks, I am already feeling far more relaxed, recharged and engaged in what is going on in life. This is awesome.

Remember that life is a game never won or lost, only played.