I needed a break.
Our corporate work world is consuming us. Americans work 47 hours a week, take 16 days of vacation a year, get about 6 hours of sleep a night and feel like they are always on — working 24/7. 65% of employees report that they hear nothing, mixed messages, or discouraging messages about taking time off. So all too often, Americans don’t take all of their vacation days and don’t take any significant blocks of time off. Businesses are rewarded for making money so it make sense that this happens. However, the result is that more and more of us burn out or just feel like we “need a break”.
I needed a break. I took one a year and a half ago and it was wonderful. It was NOT wonderful like a vacation can be wonderful. I didn’t pack adventure into each day. I didn’t spend outrageous sums of money or indulge in any freewheeling way. I was just — present.

When I returned to work, I chose a different path for myself than the one that had consumed me before the break. I decided to try working for myself, doing things that I loved doing and helping people with their careers and lives along the way.
It’s been a year now since I started my business, Developeople UX, LLC, with the vision of Elevating UX to a role that drives strategy and the mission of Elevating People. In this year, have coached UX professionals at moments in their career that were ripe for change. I’ve helped people get into the field. I’ve taught classes on customer empathy, facilitation, brainstorming and how to be more strategic in work and life (with a focus on UX researchers). I’ve also helped a few companies to build their capabilities around design thinking, customer research and discovery methods. I’ve made a decent living, especially when taking into account the large blocks of time that I’ve taken off (I just took 7 weeks off this summer). I’ve learned a TON about running a business. I’ve created a life for myself that is balanced in the ways I want to be balanced.
I credit this life change to the sabbatical that I took. As I’d mentioned elsewhere, a sabbatical is different from a vacation, and it’s not retiring either. It is a break. A pause. A time to be present, to find inspiration, to explore and discover what’s important to you and get an idea about what’s next.
A couple of days ago, I was talking with a friend who is just heading out on a sabbatical. I was struck by the phrase “I needed a break”. Like many others, he had been working for many years with frequent vacations around the world and a focus on building a meaningful career. Also, like most people, he’d dreamed about taking a sabbatical and trying out something different, but he’d never stepped off the traditional track. But now, he did it. He’s just starting his sabbatical now and is giddy with excitement.
The next day, I talked with another friend who is just returning from a 6-month sabbatical. Like the other friend, she said that she took this time because “I needed a break.” She did many exciting things on her sabbatical, too. However, now as she was returning to working life, she had a renewed sense of energy and excitement for the possiblities in her new role.
Sabbaticals are underrated in today’s world. I’ve known a number of folks who have done this over the years and there are TONS of blogs, websites, books and other things filled with stories and advice on sabbaticals. Yet companies often don’t support them and people don’t often take them. (In one study less than 15% will allow employees to take a sabbatical, and less than 5% offer paid sabbaticals).
I’m kind of curious about what the barriers are for people who want to take sabbaticals but don’t. And, of course, I’m curious about how people actually pull it off. I know my story, but now I’m on a quest to find out other people’s stories too. Maybe there’s something I can learn that I can share with the world. I’m not sure where this is headed, but if you have been on a sabbatical, or considered taking one but didn’t, or are planning one now… I’d love to talk with you.
