Reflections on an Extended Break from Work

Today’s best workplaces are gateways to self-actualization.

On July 1st, I hit my 7-year anniversary with Benevity (we affectionately call these Beneve-versaries). I'm not shy to admit that this is the longest I've stayed with a company--so much of that is because of the wild ride and incredible people who are in the impact space. But the time had come for me to step back, pause and recharge my batteries after a few tough years. Over the past year, I've been known to joke that I'm like an old cell phone--my battery never charges fully and it drains fast. I needed an upgrade and an extended break was my solution.

So, I took a month off work in July, building on our annual Me4We company-wide break that gives everyone a paid break. With an extra 16 days of vacation and the encouragement of Benevity CEO and my people leader, Kelly Schmitt , I disconnected for the month and seized the opportunity to also get off social media.

Many of you have been asking how it was and whether I was able to drop into the state of “Non-Doing” I had so hoped to experience (see post). Coming back, here's what I would say...

The first few weeks were filled with unexpected things.

Like waking up on the first day with the words “I need a will” coming to mind, followed by a need to check in on investments and mortgage rates and all things financial as we face the potential of the recession. Weird, but okay.?

Then a whole lotta time spent with seniors going to Costco, Superstore, and indulging in boozy backyard lunches and coffee breaks that elicited elder wisdom and reflections on the state of the world. There’s nothing better than spending time with people who have lived through wars, recessions, times of unrest and scarcity. They remind you that having is not the same as living.?

With the time that I saved from not being on social media, I journaled, meditated and resumed my daily Xi Kung practice, and even did manual labour on mine and my husband’s property outside of Calgary. Hauling trees and brush in a truck with a trailer, using the skid steer to move piles of wood, and raking pine cones off the driveway was surprisingly satisfying in a Zen way. But most of all, being told what to do by my husband and not being the boss was a welcome relief!

In the last third of my time off, I had a sense of “blossoming.”

At one point, I experienced what I can only describe as “peak bliss” in a meditation where I felt so full and grateful all I could do was smile. Something of its own was working its way through me. A vital energy. A deep gratitude. A connection. Presence. My battery was fully charged.

By the last week, I could feel the pull of anxiety and a looming dread about returning to work—not because I don’t like work (I love my job!), but because I was operating at 5 km/hour and knew that I’d have to jump back on a fast-moving train when Monday rolled around. I was starting to make lists in my mind. Reading business articles. Fretting about the expectation to come back with big ideas and fresh perspectives (of which I didn’t have very many!). I decided that instead of worrying and planning, I would consider this as the time when the petals fall off a flower and death is inevitable.

All beautiful things must come to an end and so did this time.

So I didn’t resist it; I decided to embrace it as part of the lifecycle. That kept me firmly rooted in the present so I wasn’t mentally ending my break before it was actually over.

July 2022 will go down in my memory as a time I will forever be grateful for. In the space away from work, one never knows how they might feel about their workplace at the end of it all. I often worry that I will realize I don’t ever want to go back to work again! But, alas, that was not my exactly experience (I can’t lie, the pull of a simple subsistence life is undoubtedly there…).

What I found was a sense of gratitude for all that Benevity has given to me and the world, and how it has enhanced my life and expanded my being. I got to really feel—without any fleetingness—a deep sense of appreciation for all of the unique and special people I get to work with on a daily basis and the important work that we do together. I realized the incredible path Benevity has set me on and could see how it has helped me become a better human dedicated to creating a better world. How it became both a gateway and a pathway to self-actualization...

For those of you who are tired, a bit crunchy, maybe even pessimistic or restless, I encourage you to take an extended break (it doesn't have to be a month, it just has to feel like it!). And if it’s helpful, here’s a few lessons I learned that might help you.

Tips for taking extended breaks:

1. Consider how you can set up your team and others to operate without you so that when it comes to asking for the time off, your boss can see that you have a clear plan on how to keep the business operating while you are out. It can be hard to ask for the time off, but if you time it right with your business cycles and long weekends or company-wide breaks, you can get exponential returns with fewer days off. Also, recognize that you have a lot of people to sincerely thank for carrying on without you and possibly taking on things for you while you were away. They are critical to your success in unplugging and recharging.
2. Don’t resist all the “life work” that floods into your brain in your first few days/weeks off. It’s to be expected that you’ll have some stuff to catch up on.
3. Keep a notebook nearby so that every time you think about work, have an idea or start ruminating, you have somewhere to put it. Then store it somewhere that’s not in your plane of sight so that your mind can be relieved and move onto other things. When you try to remember things, they have to stay in your mind. So getting it on paper allows you to empty your mind. The paper does the reminder work for you. Just write legibly. I didn’t do that so some ideas are lost in cryptic handwriting forever.
4. Take a social media break, if only to reclaim your time and use it in ways that energize you, connect you and make you whole. I gained 1.5 hours every day by not being on LinkedIn. This gave me time to nurture my body, mind and spirit.?
5. Don’t try to get everything done over your break. Life will continue afterwards so don’t try to cram it all in. It’s okay to let some things carry into your time back at work—it might even force you to maintain a little more balance after you go back! After all, it’s meant to be a break, so don’t fill it all up!

While I epically failed at what I thought “Non-Doing” was, I can say that I experienced sudden blasts of bliss that showed up in moments of “Non-Doing.” And I had many other unexpected gifts and insights that made this time invaluable as I continue to learn about myself and the world.

The break was just what I needed to come back with a full heart and vital energy to fuel more impact as we gear up for the busiest season of the year when it comes to Goodness