The power of doing nothing: Lessons learnt from my sabbatical

What happens when you combine 60+ hour work weeks for over a decade, a career that consumes your entire identity, the persistent and immutable trait of saying ‘yes’ and being a people pleaser?

Burn out. There it is, that super scary and loaded term, and one that I avoided using for the first three months of my sabbatical. Is it my fault? Is it my employer’s fault? What would I do differently if I could go back? What will I do differently moving forward? Surely I can’t be the only one? All excellent questions, and ones that I unpacked during my time away from work.?

Data shows that many people experience burnout across the social impact sector. How can we change this? What resources are out there? Not everyone has the luxury to quit their jobs and take a break. I am conscious of the incredible privilege of being able to take time away from the paid labour force, and for this I am grateful.?

While the answers to these lofty questions can’t be answered in one post, what I can do is share my invaluable lessons from a six-month sabbatical, how it changed my life, and how I plan on helping others to undergo this same reflection.?

It seems no article is complete these days without a list, so here are my three lessons learnt:

1. The Noise: Not everyone is going to be comfortable with you prioritizing yourself. You may have people who mock you about ‘quiet quitting’ your life or argue that this is the incorrect use of the term 'sabbatical' because they simply cannot fathom a woman leaving a job they love to take a pause, to strategically reflect upon the next steps. Others in your life will rally behind you with support, words of encouragement and positive energy. These voices help drown out the self-doubt that you will never work again, or be sought after for interesting roles. People will come out of the woodwork to tell you that you have inspired them to plan/execute the same - a purposeful break for rest and reflection.??
2. The Pace: I did not take one of those sabbaticals where you still have meetings and calls, and work on your CV non-stop, while being glued to LinkedIn. I did nothing. That may not be very productive or efficient according to modern-day standards and expectations, but this was exactly what I needed. I did nothing for three months, and by nothing I spent copious amounts of time with family and friends, I travelled, cooked, moved my body, ate nutritious food, and so much more. I hung out with my three-year-old son with no mobile phone in my hand, and not secretly checking Slack on the sly, while we played with Lego. I had intentional date nights with my husband, where I was present, and not running through my life to-do list in my head. I saw my girlfriends in the middle of the day for walks, lunches and pilates. I gave my time, energy and expertise to incredible organizations around the world that I believe in, including Strategic Advocacy for Human Rights (SAHR), The Bluvard Education Initiative, the Jardin de Montbrillant soup kitchen, and Giving Women. In hindsight, I did ‘nothing’, but I did ‘everything’, in terms of the stuff that mattered to me. I wasn’t in the paid labour force, which breaks the mould of how one is meant to spend their time according to so many modern-day norms, but I most certainly was doing everything that brought me joy. After my three months of ‘nothing/everything’, I allowed myself the time and space to reflect, dream and plan for what was to come next.
3. My ‘Why’:? By allowing myself the time to unwind, reconnect with my core values, and de-program my obsession with productivity and entrenched ideals of what success was supposed to look like, my mind naturally started to wander and dream. I started to imagine a future that I had never even considered. A future where my passion for purpose-driven work could align with living a more balanced life, and I could use my experience and expertise to help others to do the same.?

My sabbatical was soul-reviving, and from it, the inspiration for my new venture was born - Kriitmaa Life & Career Coaching. This work is based on the premise that just because you have devoted your career to addressing social issues or the environment, improving the well-being of individuals and communities, or promoting equity and justice, this does not mean that the work must consume your entire identity.??

My ambition is to empower powerhouse women in the social impact sector to chase their dreams, crush imposter syndrome, and live the life they dream. Think of me as a social impact champion for balanced living, a career strategist, and a life coach rolled into a one-stop shop.?

Check out my new website (https://www.kriitmaa.com/), send me feedback, and please reach out and tell me what you, your colleagues, friends and network are struggling with. Let’s share and be the change across the social impact/philanthropy/development and humanitarian industries. Let’s reduce exhaustion, burnout and offboarding across this sector, and bring back the joy.?

Cheers to chasing dreams, breaking glass ceilings, and embracing the journey ahead!