Written: March 2026
Give Yourself a Break
I’ve been taking a micro-sabbatical every year since 2012 when I started defiSOLUTIONS. On March 4th, from 8 am-5 pm, I shut off everything and spend time with myself and God, thinking, listening, writing, and praying. The word “sabbatical”comes from the Hebrew word “to rest,” like on the sabbath. Even though it has biblical origins, you can take a secular approach to sabbaticals to separate yourself from everyday patterns that get in the way of your creativity and ability to move forward. In this Gestalt Gathering, I’ll share my own experience with sabbaticals as well as tips for getting the most out of them.
What do sabbaticals have to do with data warehouses?
Nothing. And everything. According to the Harvard Business Review , 75% of leaders return from sabbaticals with fresh organizational visions and nearly half implement them. When you step back from immediate challenges, you can recognize possibilities that remain hidden during day-to-day work.
In other words, sabbaticals can lead to innovation, and that innovation can make data warehouses better. It can make your business better. It can make your employees better. It can make you better.
A short history of sabbaticals
The idea of resting on the sabbath has taken on a new meaning and form with the invention of the sabbatical. In the 19th century, colleges started offering sabbaticals for professors as a way to attract faculty. Sabbaticals are still associated with universities and religious professions, but corporations are now using them as away to attract talent and reward employees for their tenure at the company. McDonald’s established the first corporate sabbatical back in 1977. Other well-known companies have followed suit, including Salesforce, Adobe, Microsoft, QuikTrip, REI, PayPal, and Bank of America.
Corporate sabbaticals for employees are not exactly the kind of sabbaticals I’m talking about. They have their uses, for sure, but a sabbatical should be more than just a long vacation or extra PTO. For over-stressed and over-worked entrepreneurs and leaders, sabbaticals offer many benefits, like:
- Reducing burnout
- Enhancing creativity
- Bringing clarity to decision-making
- Renewed motivation
- Fresh perspectives
- Innovative thinking (as mentioned above)
My yearly sabbaticals (as short as they are) have helped me to think beyond the everyday. Each year’s sabbatical is different. Sometimes I take a walk in the park or sit at a coffee shop. Sometimes I’m in town, and other times, I’m in another city or even another country. Sometimes the minutes go by so slowly that I want to pull my hair out. Sometimes I don’t know where the time went.
No matter what, one thing never changes: Themes always emerge. Themes I don’t necessarily like, and nearly always ones I haven’t thought of before. Surprisingly, I never walk away from the experience with what I thought I would.
Fully disconnecting is hard
I get it. You’re reluctant to take time off. You’ve got too much to do, or you’re worried who will cover for you while you’re gone. Working non-stop can bring success, but it can also cause burnout. Deloitte reported a few years back that nearly 70% of C-suite leaders were seriously considering quitting for a job that better supports their well-being.
A sabbatical can make a difference not only for your well-being, but it can also be good for all the leaders in your organization. In a study on the effects of sabbaticals on leaders of not-for-profit organizations, researchers noticed that the second rung of leadership showed a marked increase in their organizational capacity as they took on new challenges. They also found many interim leaders played a more collaborative role once the original senior leaders came back from their sabbaticals.
Making sabbaticals worthwhile
I’m no expert but I know you have to commit to taking a sabbatical. It has to be planned. I’ve made mine a habit that I do every year. Here are a few more tips from a thought-provoking article in FastCompany about how to design a sabbatical that actually changes you:
- “The difference between a sabbatical that changes someone’s trajectory and one that simply delays burnout has little to do with duration and everything to do with intention.”
- “A powerful sabbatical, whether it’s three months or three intentional weeks, has a shape to it. It begins with a question, not a destination.”
- “Exposure matters. New cultures, unfamiliar languages, and different rhythms of life interrupt habitual thinking. Travel isn’t essential, but dislocation often is.
- “Equally important is capture. Without practices for noticing and recording what you’re learning – through writing, sketching, voice notes, or conversation – much of the value evaporates on reentry.” (I have a notebook for every sabbatical I’ve done.)
- “And then there’s skill-building. The most impactful sabbaticals don’t just create space; they develop new muscles. Learning a language, navigating unfamiliar systems, volunteering, or studying a craft can rewire confidence and expand identity in ways rest alone never will.
- “The goal isn’t to come back with all the answers. It’s to return more integrated, more honest, and more attuned to what matters.”
So, what do you think about sabbaticals? Are they worth it in your mind? If you’ve taken a sabbatical, what did you do? What was the impact on you? I’d love to hear and compare notes!
