Sabbatical: It's a perk that you can count on if you are a college professor, but it's a rare benefit for anyone else in today's marketplace. Yet, we all need such a break in our work lives to remind us of what is truly important and to renew our commitment to our work in the world.
While the traditional definition of sabbatical is "a prolonged hiatus, typically one year, in the career of an individual taken in order to fulfill some goal", it originates from the word, "Sabbath" meaning simply, a day of rest.
Adopting this more basic meaning, it is reasonable to imagine that everyone could take sabbaticals, and on a regular basis, to restore what author Wayne Muller refers to in his book, Sabbath, as "our right rhythm of work and rest."
Over the years, I've worked with hundreds of individuals and encouraged most of them to take time off as they contemplate their career transitions or consider new strategies in their businesses. Typically, my suggestions were first met with a fearful resistance that results from a life too full to consider new possibilities.
But, after the litany of reasons why time off is not possible, there is sometimes a small space left for an alternative viewpoint. Seeing this opening as a window of opportunity, I begin to gently make suggestions for simple ways to regain a balance and rhythm of life that would serve them well in their transition.
Think small steps, with big impact.
"You will find yourself again in the simple and forgotten things", these words of Carl Jung reinforce the notion that getting back to center does not require an elaborate or costly scheme, often equated with the word sabbatical. Jung's quote reminds us that we can reconnect with what is essential by taking actions that, in their simplicity, may be overlooked, dismissed or considered insignificant.
Here are a few ways you can incorporate the concept of sabbatical into your work and life. Be aware of taking breaths in and out while doing this exercise:
1. Find a few minutes of alone and quiet time to ask yourself what you need to feel renewed. Let your responses come from your heart or the center of your being, rather than from your mind.
2. Try not to edit your responses or begin to problem-solve as to how you can or cannot make this happen in your life at this time.
3. Identify what is at the core of your response (e.g. is it about physical rest, quiet time, or connection with someone important to you?).
4. Come up with one step you could take within one week to address this core need and put it on your calendar as you would another important commitment.
5. Over the next year, try to extend the periods of time you allocate for this type of exercise.
6. Consider planning a vacation around your needs, asking the question: what type of vacation and what activities (or absence of) would help me feel renewed and recommitted to my life and work?
"There is more to life than merely increasing its speed." – Gandhi
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Upcoming events featuring or sponsored by Heart At Work
April 4,5,6: Women's Life Expo, Portland. Barbara presents once each day: Live Your Life, Love Your Work...At Any Age.
May 8: HR Convention at the Samoset Resort in Rockport: Barbara and Amy Jaffe, will co-present a workshop: "Averting Quarterlife and Midlife Crises in Your Workplace: 5 Key Retention Strategies".
May 17 & 18: Your Second Half Of Life: A Unique Couples Retreat facilitated by Barbara and Doug Babkirk - Danforth Inn, Portland, ME
September 21-27: Barbara's annual Women's Retreat in Provence. Now accepting registrations.
Do you bristle at the term "retirement" that connotes a life free from work and focused on some newfound pastime? If so, that's because your parent's concept of the years following a dedicated career is not acceptable or appealing to today's vibrant and energetic baby boomers who are on a quest for meaning in their later years. The interesting factor here is that the quest for meaning does not necessarily exclude all forms of work.
Marc Freedman, author of Encore: Finding Work That Matters In The Second Half Of Life, captures the essence of an extraordinary shift that, according to researchers, will result in a cultural phenomenon as transformative and significant as the women's movement.
According to Freedman, "If the old golden years dream was the freedom from work, the dream of this new wave (of baby boomers) is the freedom to work—in new ways, on new terms, to new and even more important ends."
The years after 50, now referred to as "The Third Age", "Encore Years", or Second Half of Life", currently generate over a million Google results, when only a decade ago, the topic might not have taken up as much as a bookshelf at Borders. But, today, there are a vast array of books available with examples of individuals who closed the chapter on careers that shaped their earlier identities to initiate new experiences that addressed their desire to serve a greater good or enliven some lesser known aspect of themselves.
This shift in the focus and intention of life and work is indicative of the life phase when individuals begin to lose interest in the "what should I be?" question inherent in the first half of life to address the "what am I meant to be?" quest of the second half.
Since this is a topic of great interest to me personally and professionally, you can count on seeing more of my blogs dedicated to it in the future.
In the meantime, here are a few questions to consider as you ponder your next life phase:
- What would I do if money was not a primary concern?
- What skills, abilities or gifts do I want to offer the world or my community?
- What would I feel proud of doing?
- Whom do I admire in the world today and what are they doing that might suggest a new direction for me?
For committed couples who want to explore a joint vision for second half of life years, consider this unique weekend retreat focused on a plan that incorporates both the individual's and couple's hopes for life after 50.
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Upcoming events featuring or sponsored by Heart At Work
April 4,5,6: Women's Life Expo, Portland. Barbara presents once each day: Live Your Life, Love Your Work...At Any Age.
April 19-May 10: Saturday Career Workshop Series with Amy Jaffe
Details: http://www.barbarababkirk.com/amy.html
May 8: HR Conventionn at the Samoset Resort in Rockport: Barbara and Amy Jaffe, will co-present a workshop: "Averting Quarterlife and Midlife Crises in Your Workplace: 5 Key Retention Strategies".
May 17 & 18: Your Second Half Of Life: A Unique Couples Retreat facilitated by Barbara and Doug Babkirk - Danforth Inn, Portland, ME
September 21-27: Barbara's annual Women's Retreat in Provence. Now accepting registrations.
Major insights in life can happen quite unexpectedly.
Though I did not know exactly why I was going or what would come of it, I knew months ago that I would spend this past weekend in Annapolis at a seminar featuring poet and international lecturer, David Whyte.
While I knew that Maryland would be heralding spring while here in Maine it still looked like deep winter, and that I could always use the CEU's for my counseling license, I had an intuitive hunch that another reason might emerge as the real explanation for my attendance.
The lecture hall at St. John's College was filled with anticipation when David addressed participants with his engaging and unique style of using poetry to inform and guide his audience through life's challenges. The theme of the weekend was "Exploring the Paradox: Navigating Through Life's Transitions", and David did not waste any time diving into the topic. Reciting words from Yeats, Shakespeare and his own poems, David presented us with moving examples of the essential tension we hold in our lives between safety and risk, love and grief and control and letting go.
All this was fascinating and informative. But it was this provocative question that moved me in a way I was not expecting. "What are you not experiencing in your life because of your focused attention on those things that make you feel in control or safe?
This question piqued my curiosity and imagination. While journaling and conversing with other participants, I realized that a shift had occurred within me. I found that I more fully understood that which theologian and author Thomas Moore referenced when he said "Deep changes follow shifts in the imagination."
I'm not at all clear how this shift will actually play out in my life, but like the Annapolis seminar, it will be just the right experience.
Here are some questions I'd like to pass on to you from the seminar:
- What need to control or fear is keeping your from a new and different life experience?
- When and how were you last inspired to change some aspect of your life?
- How could your imagination help you to expand or shift your perspective on something you desire?
Upcoming events featuring or sponsored by Heart At Work
April 4,5.6: Women's Life Expo, Portland. Barbara presents: Live Your Life. Love Your Work At Any Age.
April 12-May 1: Through the Portal, a personal and professional development series for women facilitated by Barbara Babkirk and Susanna Liller.
April 19-May 10: Saturday Career Workshop Series with Amy Jaffe
Details: http://www.barbarababkirk.com/amy.html
May 8: HR Conventionn at the Samoset Resort in Rockport: Barbara and Amy Jaffe, will co-present a workshop: "Averting Quarterlife and Midlife Crises in Your Workplace: 5 Key Retention Strategies".
September 21-27: Barbara's annual Women's Retreat in Provence.
Have you maneuvered through the job search maze and accepted a new job only to find that it's not what you anticipated? If so, you may wonder what went wrong, or question your ability to make sound career decisions in the future.
It may only be in hindsight that you realize the questions you should have asked during the job interview or recognize how important a particular job responsibility or working condition is to your job satisfaction.
As difficult as it is to find yourself in a new job that disappoints you, it's important to allow adequate time for you and the organization to acclimate to your arrival, rather than jump to conclusions or make a hasty decision to resign. Once on the job, consider your situation carefully and note the specific conditions that are different from what you had anticipated. These observations will assist you in evaluating your next job options should you decide to resign.
Once the shock of disappointment wears off, it's possible that you might warm up to your new position and discover a silver lining in what appeared to be a storm cloud. It's also possible that after a few months in the new job, you may be able to negotiate some changes that would improve your situation.
When a job is simply not salvageable, it's often due to an unanticipated management change. Not seeing eye to eye with the person to whom you report is a primary reason why people leave their jobs earlier than expected. Depending on the scope of the rift and how either party plays it out, it is usually necessary for the most recently hired to move on.
Whatever you ultimately do with the disappointment of a new job, use your experience to guide and inform you about your next step. Unless you see this experience as a repeating pattern in your work history, you might chalk this one up to a learning experience and recognize what you need to do to avoid such a situation in the future. If a pattern is present, you'd be wise to seek counsel from a skilled professional to determine what you might do differently the next time around.
"I've lost a sense of belonging" was Jane's honest reply to my question about the worst part of being unemployed.
With eight or more hours devoted to the workplace each day, most of us develop an experience of community that we take for granted—until we lose it.
Whether or not we get along with all of our co-workers, we tend to develop relationships at work that go beyond the necessary work-related conversations or collaborations. For most, there's a feeling of connection and built-in support system for life's trials and jubilations. From sounding boards to cheerleaders, the people with whom we work can serve important roles in our lives, even if our connection exists exclusively at work.
When we become unemployed for whatever reason, we lose the connections that have progressed beyond talk about the weather or favorite sports teams. With our thoughts focused on more obvious losses like income and benefits, the loss of community is unanticipated and sobering.
While we cannot replace the relationships from our last job, we can work to make new connections that help us feel part of a larger community.
Here are a few examples of resources to tap:
1.Career One Stop centers are sponsored by the Federal and State Governments and offer a vast array of services and programs. In Maine, the Career Centers are located in 22 towns and cities. The Portland, Maine office sponsors UP Groups (Unemployed Professionals) that feature speakers, job search tips and great opportunities to network with fellow job seekers. Check out the One Stop office in your area.
2.Chambers of Commerce networking opportunities are great places to meet new people, learn about issues in the marketplace and develop contacts for your job search. Check out the Chamber of Commerce in your area for a calendar of events.
3.Regular informal meetings with friends will keep commitments in your calendar and give you a chance to connect and, even ask for help with your transition.
4.Adult education classes—could this be the time to take that class in car mechanics, Microsoft Office, or intro to watercolors? You never know whom you might meet there…
5.Community service agencies often need volunteers to help with projects. Making a short-term commitment can provide structure to your week, new relationships, a welcomed balance to your job search efforts and allow you to feel productive.
Re-building a sense of community takes effort and determination. It's a good idea to resist the tendency to isolate by exclusively using the internet for your job search. If you balance your strategies with a combination of time alone and time for socializing and networking, you'll probably feel less alone and more upbeat and connected to your plan of finding new work.
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Events featuring or sponsored by Heart At Work
April 4,5.6: Women's Life Expo, Portland. Barbara presents: Live Your Life. Love Your Work At Any Age. Details: www.expoproducers.com
April 12-May 1: Through The Portal, a personal and professional development series for women facilitated by Barbara Babkirk and Susanna Liller.
Details: www.throughtheportal.biz
April 19-May 10: Saturday Career Workshop Series with Amy Jaffe
Details: http://www.barbarababkirk.com/amy.html
May 8: HR Convention at the Samoset Resort in Rockport: Barbara and Amy Jaffe, will co-present a workshop: "Averting Quarterlife and Midlife Crises in Your Workplace: 5 Key Retention Strategies".
Details: http://www.mainehr.com/convention/
September 21-27: Barbara's annual Women's Week in Provence.
Details: www.yourprovenceretreat.com
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