Myths about sabbatical

In a fast-paced corporate life, the concept of sabbatical is quickly gaining ground. This refers to the time when you are away from the work doing something different from the daily routine. However, there are many myths surrounding sabbatical and in this article, we aim to dispel some of them.

This is one of the most common myths surrounding sabbatical. Often people, especially professionals, feel that they don’t need it as they are healthy and good enough to carry out their tasks. However, that’s not the case.Our body is like a machine which needs rest, sometimes for an extended period of time. In fact, it throws up several symptoms that need to be realized at the earliest. For instance, if you continuously feel not motivated to go to office, probably it’s time to take a break.

Absolutely not. In fact, you can use this time away from work to hone your skills and learn new things which will come handy later on. For instance, if you are into content writing, you can use the break period to learn about new domains such as advanced search engine optimization, digital marketing, email marketing, etc.You can use the time away from work to enroll yourself in new courses which will add value to your resume. In fact, today there are many online classes on various subjects through which you can learn new stuff at your own time and pace.

This is another common myth related to sabbatical. The skills developed during this period can give you an edge in your career when you join back into the workforce. However, at the same time, make sure to keep in touch with your peers and keep them updated about the developments from your end.Equally essential is to keep growing your network. Today, several social networking platforms that help you consolidate your network and meet people across domains. Make sure you are actively present on such platforms to gain maximum mileage.

Though managing expenses during sabbatical can be a little difficult, with proper planning you can easily do so. Chalk out a financial plan beforehand and get rid of discretionary expenses. This is because unnecessary costs can strain your finances.Make sure you have an emergency corpus of the relevant time period for which you are taking the sabbatical. Generally, it’s advisable to have a corpus close to six months’ expenses.Ensure you utilize the time away from work in the best possible manner and upgrade yourself to meet the demands of the job market, when you return back.

The information contained herein is generic in nature and is meant for educational purposes only. Nothing here is to be construed as an investment or financial or taxation advice nor to be considered as an invitation or solicitation or advertisement for any financial product. Readers are advised to exercise discretion and should seek independent professional advice prior to making any investment decision in relation to any financial product. Aditya Birla Capital Group is not liable for any decision arising out of the use of this information.