Taking a Sabbatical: Where Should You Go?
As a workforce, the UK is getting more stressed. According to a recent YouGov poll, as many as half of employees in the UK feel stressed at work – with numerous potential causes fuelling rises in mental illness across the board. The cost-of-living crisis is an environmental stressor like no other, while workplace expectations are seeing significant increases in psychological harm over physical harm. The solution, for many, is to quite simply take a break. Some do, in the form of a sabbatical.
What is a Sabbatical?
A sabbatical, simply put, is an extended period of leave that you take from work. The word, naturally, has roots in the ‘sabbath’ – being a period of rest observed by Judeo-Christian faiths. Traditionally, a sabbatical was a year-long break from working the fields, that Israelite Jews would take every seven years; today, the meaning is much broader, and much less moored to religious practice.
Today, sabbaticals take the form of agreed periods of leave from a work position, largely unpaid but sometimes subsidised by the employer. This period of leave can vary in length, but many choose to take a sabbatical for up to a year – leading to it often being characterised as an adult gap year.
Making the Most of Your Sabbatical
Sabbaticals are extremely useful for regaining a sense of focus and purpose, and for unpicking the various stresses that may have built up over a long period of time in active work. Many choose to use their sabbatical as an opportunity to explore the world, to see new things and discover new experiences; many others use the time to simply relax and re-discover themselves, whether taking up a new hobby or learning a new skill.
What you do with your sabbatical is entirely your decision to make, but there are many ways to approach partitioning your time. During your leave, you will likely want to catch up with family and loved ones – which could also be a unique opportunity to travel if they live in other cities or countries. You will also want to rest and re-connect with yourself, which might involve giving yourself the time and space to explore ideas or places alone.
Planning Your Sabbatical
Given the length of time for which you could be free of employment responsibilities, it would be remiss of you not to consider taking the opportunity to go on a trip – whether a simple jaunt across the English Channel or the trip of a lifetime. Is there something you’ve always wanted to do? It could be volunteering with an international charity, or exploring mountain ranges by bike; the world is your oyster.
One great way to make the most of your time away is to give yourself the beach break to end all beach breaks. A luxurious trip to Alicante, in which all your needs are met, and your task is simply to lounge, could be just the ticket for shedding that last lingering layer of work stress from your brain. Private Alicante airport transfers wing you from the arrivals lounge to your boutique hotel by La Almadraba Beach immediately, where porters handle your luggage, and you are left with little else to do but order that first beach-side mojito…
Alternatively, you might be more interested in an active trip chock-full of activity, culture and movement. A trip to Italy’s Amalfi coast could offer all this and more, from high-octane water sports off the coast of Salerno to the intersection of Roman and Renaissance artefacts in Positano’s Roman Archaeological Museum. The Amalfi Coast is also peerless for its cuisine offerings.
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