The Sabbatical Project: Category: 30s-40s

Andy moves from burnout to balanced entrepreneur

Andy’s sabbatical takes them from a software engineer experiencing burnout to an invigorated and balanced entrepreneur.

My break changed my life. It taught me how little I could survive on and caused me to re-evaluate my Silicon Valley lifestyle. It opened my eyes to new ways of being and working filled with balance, time off, and unstructured time to explore my various passions.

Read Article
20s-30s30s-40sCareer change

Elliot’s New Way to Be in the World

Elliot’s sabbatical allowed him to slow down, explore a new way of living, and connect to his purpose.

If you’re feeling like you’re just working all the time, just doing and taking care of things, disconnected from your own sense of magic, and needing to slow down, a sabbatical could be an incredible gift to yourself, to those around you, and to the world.

Read Article
30s-40sCareer changeCreativity

Cady Finds a New Way of Working

Cady quits her job to take a sabbatical which leads her to discover a new way of working and take control of her time.

My break taught me to tolerate a different way of working, one that isn’t filled with daily emergencies and mini-crises. One that includes balance, days off, and time to explore creative hobbies and interests.

Read Article
30s-40sCareer changeEntrepreneurship

Sarah Sails into a Sabbatical

Sarah and her fiancé Andrew’s sabbatical sees them sailing out into the open ocean and living differently for two and a half years.

In a world that often glorifies non-stop productivity, the idea of taking a sabbatical can be met with skepticism. However, I firmly believe that the benefits of a sabbatical far outweigh any potential drawbacks.

Read Article
30s-40sCreativityEntrepreneurship

Samantha’s Six-Month Sabbatical

Samantha takes a self-funded six-month sabbatical which changes her view of life and helps her chart a new course.

My six-month sabbatical shifted my entire outlook on life and will be the gift that keeps on giving — it shifted my entire perspective about how to live life on your own terms.

Read Article
30s-40sHealing/burnoutStories

Carol learns to balance life and work

After years of sacrificing her personal life for her job, Carol goes on sabbatical and learns to balance work and life.

“You’re going to check your email five times a day for the first week, and twice a day for the second. But then—you’re going to put your phone down and forget that it exists until you come back.“

Read Article
30s-40sFemalePersonal Stories

Ivan Takes a Gap Year at 34

Ivan decides to take a sabbatical — a gap year spent in another country, learning a new language and making new friends. It saves his life.

After working more than 10 hours per day for 8 years, when I suddenly stopped I realized I had become addicted to being busy – I needed to go through a process of detox to learn how to relax and enjoy my life (outside of work)

Read Article
30s-40sEducationHealing/burnout

Rainer’s Sabbatical and Career Transition

Rainer walks into his 40s on a 9-month sabbatical resulting in a career transition. His time off brings clarity on his next big move.

Life today is just so full and so fast and so loud, that anything we can do to simplify, slow down and find some silence is good. Sometimes to do that well we need a longer period of a break and investment that pours into your present and your future.

Read Article
30s-40sCareer changeMale

Elle Finds Freedom to Explore

After experiencing burnout, grief and a detachment from her identity, Elle sets out on a sabbatical to travel, explore, and reconnect to herself.

I knew there had to be more out there… I had to give myself permission to do all the things I had previously told myself I couldn’t or shouldn’t.

Read Article
30s-40sFemaleHealing/burnout

Milena Designs Her Sabbatical

Milena leverages her design thinking and strategic skills to plan a 12-week sabbatical miles away from home.

I took 3 months off of my work without pay and so did my partner. We saved up for 6 months in advance… using my design thinking brain when planning a sabbatical turned out to be a good thing.

Read Article
20s-30s30s-40sCareer change

Get Access to the Sabbatical Field Guide

Discover your Sabbatical Archetype, your Sabbatical Readiness Score, and learn best practices (and what to avoid) from our research on sabbatical alums.