Sabbatical

[djfear]

So a topic came up in the motorcycle thread about taking extended vacations... has anyone here taken an extended leave of absence, and if so, where and for how long?

I'd like to do it at some point but the rat race has got its paws on me full force. Maybe in a couple of years I'd like to take off several months somehow and really do some proper traveling.

And I'll also add, has anyone found a career or lifestyle where they regularly take off for months at a time by living a minimalist lifestyle?

 

[praktik]

I know people working in france who just took their 10 year sabbatical - part of law there everybody gets the right to do one. You dont get paid but employers need to give you that year off every ten years if you ask for it!
'
They travelled around the world.

 

[coleridge]

My partner works in marketing doing contract jobs. She regularly takes months off to go traveling. Last year she took the entire summer off. She's currently taking 6 weeks off right now to stand up paddle board.

She's very good at what she does and is very in demand by all the agencies. When she chooses to go back to work she has her pick of jobs within days. That's the key right there. You have to be really good at what you do to have that kind of job security when you're working contract.

She keeps up on her networking when she's not working to keep tabs on the industry. Then when she takes a contract she swoops in for a few months, runs circles around everyone, runs some big account through to some big marketing campaign launch and then gets out of there when the agency starts coming at her hard to stay full-time.

 

[Sal De Ban]

well whoop-dee-fuckin-doo. yeah i'm jealous.

 

[the_fornicator]

I was about to say what coleridge said. Contracting.

Lots of guys I contract with work for 6-12 months and then take 1-3 months off.

 

[rswbrixton]

I am on a extended holiday now and resume work September 2/14 ! Left work on mutually agreed and deserved period of holiday and sabbatical on April 1/2014 - used up an accumulated amount of holiday pay ( carry over from previous years ) that got me near 12 weeks paid - regular payroll - maintained full benefits - saved two weeks for remainder of year - applied a couple weeks worth of sick days - saving a couple weeks for emergency etc - and collected EI for late July August .

Worked out fantastic , office has not been in any sort of crisis , moved some tasks and duties around , kept up a little bit of contact - many texts of hello and well wishes from staff and clients etc .

At 44 years of age , and full time employed since i was 18 - this was a fantastic holiday - journey and experience ! covered more miles on near 4 months than i have in 4 years !

Did not hit my savings any , not working and lunching and hitting the coffee shop etc etc actually saved a pile of money ! 6 weeks perhaps of EI - maximum contributions for years - pays out 1000 bucks biweekly - all i need to carry me through August -

Back to work Sept 2/14 feeling great , looking great , refreshed , renewed energy and focus and with a lot of life experiences now under my belt !

If you can do it , i highly recommend it - at 44 the timing was perfect - a sort of half way point to renew the spirit . Now to giver hell for another 20 years lol !

*** my yearly holiday allotment is 5 weeks , 5 sick days , 3 dependant days , all stats and civics , and of course leave for death in the family .