When's the right time to take a sabbatical?

The question was one I toyed with for a couple of years - when, indeed, is the right time?! The reality for me was that there's never a "right time", but now was as good a time as any. And having worked since I graduated (no garden leaves, maternity leaves or career breaks) I really felt the need to hit the pause button.

But the fact that I was even able to consider this question is testament to the value that my business places on sabbaticals. Partner sabbaticals are really encouraged at PwC; and as someone who's just returned this week from a three month sabbatical, and reflecting on the experience, I felt a bit of a blog coming on!

My reasons for hitting pause were many. I had found out I was anemic, telling me that my body, physically, needed a rest. I'd underestimated how working through a global pandemic had impacted my working patterns, priorities and perspective. And I really wanted some time to invest in me, personally and professionally.

Any trepidation I might have had in highlighting my interest in taking a sabbatical was quashed immediately - I had overwhelming support from the business - from leadership, my fellow partners, my team...with most saying "sure you'll be back before you know it - the three months will fly in"! (That was not an entirely helpful comment, even if it did end up being true!!) But it was an amazing experience, and a fantastic opportunity for me to learn some things, not least, about myself:

(i) Time is precious - days, weeks and months pass quickly, in life, in business. The sabbatical allowed me to spend quality time with friends and family. And as I started to think about returning to work, it was with a renewed appreciation of the importance of weekends and down time, and the value of making proper plans to make the most of that precious time ("less is more" - see point (ii)).

(ii) Less is more - I quickly realised that my very full pre-sabbatical work diary is symptomatic of a personal trait - if I can try and pack it into a day, I will. And on sabbatical, I caught myself two weeks in, tearing around the country trying to fit more into a day than was reasonable or sensible. So I slowed down, and learned how to be a bit kinder to myself and stop giving my time away. I planned my diary, deliberately keeping days free. I politely declined some invitations and suggested alternative times that worked better for me. Such a simple thing, but a really valuable learning that I'll now be trying very hard to apply!

(iii) Rest is critical - during sabbatical, I rolled from anemia, to a two week flu, to an infection. My big learning? When I'm sick, I'm sick. Working through sickness doesn't do me (or anyone else) any favours. One to remember now I'm back at work!

(iv) Non-negotiables can, actually, be just that - I signed up with a PT, and every Tuesday, from 3pm to 4pm, she put me through my paces. When I really wasn't that keen to go, I went. When I had other options for how to spend Tuesday afternoons, I immediately said no. This was new territory for me, and while I can't just leave the office on Tuesday afternoons for a PT session, I've found a more flexible option with my PT that keeps me focused on strength training while simultaneously holding me to account on a weekly basis!

(v) You're never too old to learn - I loved school and university, but when I finished my degree, my mum reminded me that I'd said: "That's it, I'm done with studying; and from now, I'm only reading things I want to read". Which at that point, meant fiction, and lots of it!! But things change, and as my career has progressed, I've fallen in love with coaching. So I used some of my sabbatical time to start an executive coaching qualification with Henley Business School that I've wanted to do for a number of years. I wanted to stretch myself - immerse myself in the latest coaching tools and techniques. And as I return to the business, it's with some fantastic learning that I'm keen to apply as I work up my coaching hours to achieve the certificate later this year.

(vi) My work colleagues aren't just colleagues - I have great friends in the business, and they are friends outside of work too. These personal relationships mean a huge amount to me, and it was lovely to keep in touch over a proper coffee, a long lunch, a good old chat. It didn't take away from my sabbatical at all - it simply reinforced just how deep and important these relationships are and why I do the work that I do.

(vii) Air fryers rock - so do slow cookers, and with time to scroll, browse and meal plan, instagram is a rich source of great recipes. Mary Berry has the best Christmas Cake recipe (just remember to dampen the marzipan before icing the cake). And pastry should only ever be made by hand (my attempt to fast track shortcrust pastry with the food mixer was a lesson in how gluten can develop in an unhelpful way, and it will never be repeated!)

Did 3 months feel like long enough? For me, yes, and I was genuinely looking forward to coming back.

Would I recommend sabbaticals? Absolutely. Mine gave me the time and space to fully appreciate the opportunity I have, what I can give and how I can best give it. And I feel very blessed to have had the chance to hit "pause", and now, to hit "play"!