Work-Life Expert Returns From Sabbatical

Bonnie Michaels, a work-life consultant, speaker, and President of Managing Work & Family, Inc. and her husband, Michael Seef, took a year-long sabbatical. They have traveled around the world fulfilling dreams and fantasies and most, importantly getting renewed.
Here is a sample of their itinerary:

They spent five months in Seville, Spain where Bonnie studied Flamenco dance and they both studied Spanish. In January, they moved on to Israel to work on an archeology dig and visit family and friends. Their time included climbing Mt. Sinai and visiting the Golan, Galilee and Jordan. From there they began a journey of uncovering the past in Germany, where Michael's mother was born. A stop-over in Switzerland to visit a cousin led to a 3 week stay in Locarno where they hiked the beautiful Swiss mountains. Volunteering was the theme in Australia where they signed up for Willing Workers of Organic Farms and aboriginal community work in the desert. On the way to Japan, they rested in Bangkok. They joined the Volunteers for Peace and participated in a work camp in Japan, as well as traveling through small traditional villages in Western Honshu.

For details of their experiences, call (847) 308-0919

Bonnie has formulated some new workshops based upon her experiences on this sabbatical. Click here for details on the new workshops.

Sabbatical Tips

Tips for A Short Term Sabbatical

  • Determine what you need
    Depending on the stage of your life and career, you will want to evaluate what will help you get renewed. Be creative. Sometimes, just leaving your city and familiar environment for the country and volunteering on a farm is enough. A trip to Italy to learn cooking may put some zip into your life or a meditation retreat to help you focus. Whatever you choose, allow enough time for serendipity. Don't structure every moment. Time to do nothing is very important.
  • Research your organization (human resources, benefits or the grapevine )
    Investigate to find out what the policy is for time off. If you are the first to ask, find a comparable organization that has a policy. Locate an individual who has successfully negotiated and learn from the experience.
  • Develop a plan that fits the cycle of work
    Don't plan a sabbatical at the busiest time of the year. Show the benefits, such as: renewal, new lessons, how it will help your productivity and creativity. Does the company have a cause that you could integrate by volunteering? Would global experience benefit the organization?
  • Anticipate the negative responses
    Be prepared with answers. Be clear on why it is important.
  • Be creative with paid leave ideas
    Borrow from next year's vacation and combine sick, personal and vacation time. If you get money for conferences and workshops, negotiate to use those allowances.
  • Have a clear plan if you are turned down
    What are you willing to live with?
  • Be creative with financing the trip
    Volunteer work costs very little.

Remember that renewal is like putting oil in your car. Without it, you will go dry and, in the long run, not be very successful and creative.

Read about how Bonnie prepared for the sabbatical, and her reports that she posted on the site while she was on the road: