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48 Hours Before Leaving on Sabbatical. What’s THAT like?
Sabbatical-goers reaching the last work week are in kick-butt mode. One’s professional reputation hovers between a final to-do list and an unforgiving time frame. Most have found their productvity in high gear for many weeks as they check and re-check their work coverage plans - and continue their work with a focus on leaving it in the best shape [...]
Panama Cruise - Photo Essay
I am back! Jamaica, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Panama. Of all places, never did I imagine that I would be in Colombia.
Starting out – This cruise adventure started in Ft. Lauderdale, making the first stop in Jamaica. Here, we had the opportunity to really talk to the locals and get an understanding of their lives. [...]
Couch surfin'
For the past two weeks, I have been -ahhhh — a couch potato. Friends call me and they know what I am doing -absolutely nothing. But alas, there is only so much daytime tv one can take. So, I moved on to house projects. I pulled out old clothes, rummaged through my closets, and have [...]
Checkin' in
Hi All,
It has been just over a month since my sabbatical started…and I have no regrets! You might be wondering how the finances are coming along. Well, it has been interesting not having an actual check being automatically deposited into my account. My main concern lately has been ensuring that I am getting the most [...]
Check out my interview!
Check out my interview with Elizabeth Pagano!
http://yoursabbatical.com/blog/2020/08/27/itll-be-no-small-sabbatical-for-angela-petitt/
Thanks,
-A
Spotlight - Defining Moments
Last night, I was glued to the tv watching Michael Jackson’s funeral. He was such an awesome entertainer. I remember hearing that he wrote down a goal to sell over 25 million records with Thriller and posted the note on his mirror so that he could see it daily. True or not, this really inspired me. We [...]
Cabo - No go
Well thanks to hurricane Jemina, we won’t be going to Cabo. Last night a friend mentioned that Cabo was having bad weather. I checked a few sites that only mentioned rain. However, I went to tripadvisor.com to see if I could find any info on their forums. Sure enough, the hurricane information was there. To [...]
Recap and Preview - Cabo, here I come!!!!
Hi Everyone!
I thought this week would be kind of quiet after my Italian adventure. However, that was certainly not the case. I have been so very busy. First, I was so excited and pleased to see my interview featured on http://yoursabbatical.com/blog/. Good stuff!!! Check it out if you haven’t dropped by yet. Then, I had the pleasure [...]
Ahh..Italian memories
I am back from Italy and have been eagerly wanting to share with you the details about my Italian adventure.
Here we go…
Although we were running a few minutes behind schedule to the airport, we pumped up the tunes and jammed to BOOM-BOOM-POW to get us into high gear. Kerri, Elaine, and yours truly (aka Team BOOM-BOOM-POW) were [...]
la dolce vita
Italy is AWESOME!!! We are having a blast! We spent the first two nights in Positano and in a word - loved it!When I figure out this Italian keyboard, I will have so many exciting things to tell you. Til them…
Ciao!
-A
Let the travels begin…
Just got word that the ticket was still available - I am on my way to Italy!!! WOO HOO!!! This marks the first trip of my sabbatical. We leave in the morning. Actually, in a few hours. Gotta go pack. I am sure I will have a lot to report upon my return.
Ciao and Be blessed!!
Inspiration - “The [...]
No alarm clock!
No alarm clock needed!! Today is the first official day of my sabbatical and opportunities are already opening up. I have been talking to contacts regarding a potential business and participation in local volunteer organizations. Even more exciting is that I was just interviewed about my sabbatical this morning! So stay tuned for more details.
Hmm…I [...]
It is finished!
Laptop turned in - check. Badge deactivated - check. Said my goodbyes - check. It is finished! Today was my last day at work and I feel GREAT! I believe exciting things are in store for me as I embark on this journey. Next step, researching travel destinations and formulating a strategy to ensure the best use [...]
If not now, when?
I really did it! As of Monday morning, I will no longer be an employee, but a citizen of “My Sabbatical” world. In this world, anything is possible. My decision to resign and take a sabbatical has generated mixed reactions from friends, colleagues, and family. But, this is something I must do. Most people do not understand…I may not [...]
Reports on Sabbaticals: Work+Life Fit's survey, leaving law for Uganda, & an Intel author
Still think flexibility offerings like sabbaticals don’t have a place in an economic downturn? Think again.
As job loss numbers continue to increase, 94% of employees say they’re willing to change their schedule or cut their salary to avoid layoffs - with 31% saying they would take an unpaid sabbatical. That’s according to the 2009 Annual [...]
Hired to Not Show Up: Firms Employ Grads, Then Send Them on Sabbatical
In response to the economy and so they don’t lose their new shining stars, law firms are instituting delays in the starting dates of new employees. And stipends (nice ones) for the new hires’ wallets) for sabbaticals and public service endeavors are part of the deal.
Like so many other fields, law is on shaky ground [...]
McDonald's Puts Action Behind "You Deserve a Break Today"
Uh, yeah … that’s me with the funny hair. I’m kinda crazy about someone you know.
Digital nomad Chris Brogan talks about how McDonald’s is pretty darned smart, how it’s a business run by savvy business people and master marketers, even if the fast-and-fatty chain is “antithetical to all you hold pure and dear”.
Serving up mystery (and certainly [...]
Sabbatical Misconceptions and Why I Need a Break
Right up front, a big applause to all the people and the companies that get it. They understand that sabbaticals are not an extended vacation.
But then there’s a group who challenge us with their old thinking and hang on to dark-age misconceptions about sabbaticals.
Misconceptions aren’t always bad, of course. My friends tend to assume that [...]
Leveraging the Recession: Dirk Baxter's Sabbatical Story
Not too long ago, Dirk Baxter, a management consultant with global experience and a PhD in industrial and organizational psychology, spent two weeks doing business in Spain. After a week of saying “escuche” to any Spaniard due a pardon, Dirk was informed by an American who knew better that, although “escuche” sounds like “excuse me” [...]
Branding Your Career With a Learning Sabbatical
Whether you’re currently employed or not, Amy Balog’s latest post gives thoughtful ideas and concepts for moving beyond identifying yourself through your resume bullet points to a “whole” you with a unique story. It’s easy to confuse our roles, skills, or professional reputations with who we actually are.
She describes a “connected leader” - one who draws in [...]
Sandy Hofmann's Five-Course Sabbatical
There’s a petite woman in Atlanta whose impact weaves through the city in surprisingly large ways. Formerly CIO and Chief People Officer at MAPICS, Inc. - a software company that was a spin-off from IBM - Sandy Hofmann’s sabbatical clarified for her that building relationships and making connections between people would become one of her [...]
Resumes: Turning Employment Gaps into Sabbaticals
We just Tweeted in response to PongoResume’s suggestion to use a “functional resume” (organized by skills, not dates) to help “hide” employment gaps. Our response: Why not turn an employment gap into a sabbatical and make your resume stand out?
Millions of Americans - and millions more globally - are now faced with an employment gap, [...]
When Job Hunting is Fruitless, One Boomer Goes for an Internship
Lois Draegin, 55, lost a six-figure editing job with Readers Digest. Now she works unpaid for a start-up website, trading her knowledge for new online skills. Her very cool story - about a media maven who’s mentor is a 20-something social networking wiz - is in today’s Los Angeles Times. Written by Geraldine Baum, the [...]
Car Makers Push Sabbaticals to Save Jobs
Jaguar Land Rover offered staff three-month sabbaticals on 80% pay, and 300 employees accepted. Honda announced it would halt production for two months from February. And General Motor’s UK-arm Vauxhall has offered nine-month sabbaticals on 30% pay.
Other companies, in both the auto industry and beyond, are working hard to preserve jobs. Even small businesses are [...]
Flexibility Offerings (Sabbaticals) Ride the Economic Wave
As companies grapple with strained budgets, tight credit, waning demand for products, and layoffs, flexible arrangements like sabbaticals are a way to keep morale high. And they don’t have to cost much.
Employees worried about their jobs tend to be reluctant to seek out such arrangements, said Ellen Galinsky of the Family Work Institute, in a [...]