Sometimes a person just needs a career break. A client of mine used to love photography. It seemed to help him clear his mind and encouraged his artistic side. When I first met him, he admitted that the last time he worked a camera was 10 years ago. He had become engulfed by his career, consequently, he forgot to do the things he loved.
Avoiding Burnout
As lawyers, we have spent a lot of time building our careers. First, working through undergrad with the knowledge that grades matter in helping get into the law school. Then in law school we strove to do the best we could because that is how you make it in the real world. Once we graduated and passed the bar, then we had to find a job that helped us move towards our never ending goals. Hence we move towards burn-out. This is the main reason every attorney should consider a career break, otherwise known as a sabbatical.
Six Tips
If you are considering taking a break from your career, here are six things you should do at least six months before starting your sabbatical:
1. Set a start date and write it down…”My Sabbatical starts on _________”
2. Set a return date.
3. If you are in a small firm or a sole practitioner, notify your clients early and often about the dates. However, if you work for a large firm, notify your boss and co-workers and work out an agreement to ensure that someone is looking after your clients.
4. Notify opposing and co-counsel. MOST attorneys are sympathetic to this situation as they dream of doing it themselves, some day.
5. Plan a budget for the six months that you will be on sabbatical with the realization that when you return you may have a lag before income starts to come in again.
6. Finally, plan what you will do during your break to maximize your time off.
Contact me for complimentary 30 minute session to find out how a coach can help you plan a career break!
Photo credit: Foter.com