Stress at work can really burn a person out. Good thing that more and more companies these days are now offering sabbatical leaves for their employees (though this is a lot more popular in the US and with the academe). I guess that they’ve realized how it would be better (core cost-efficient, perhaps?) in the long run to keep their people’s insanity intact than having to deal with explosive outbursts and burn-outs later on.

Thing is, what does one do when one actually gets a sabbatical? After having worked the candle both ends for years, the idea of doing nothing for a relatively long period of time could ironically be quite stressful.

Blitz off and escape. Go on a real vacation. Fancy a tropical holiday? What about skiing down snow-capped slopes? Or how about a backpacking adventure across the country or across another continent? The thing is, go ahead and do things as off-tangent from the usual work that you do.

Relax. Sleep in late. Sleep all day. Spend time with the family. Go as often as you want to the local spa. Enroll in a yoga class. Go on a retreat (with monks). Lock yourself in an isolated cabin in the woods. Important thing is that you take things slow and relieve stress.

Get a new hobby. Finish a personal project. Enroll in a short-course, or attend workshops. Do volunteer work. The most important thing to do on a sabbatical is to have time to do some self-reflection. You might want to re-think about the goals that you’ve previously set for yourself at the start of your career. Do you wish for something more, or perhaps even something less? You might want to ask yourself if there is anything else you would rather do in life. Do activities that you think will help you find these answers.