Want a sabbatical? Just Ask!
The most powerful strategy for embarking on your own career-sustaining sabbatical can be summarised in one word: ask! By asking the right...
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Our blog posts
Lyndall Farley
- Mar 16
- 2 min
The paradox of free time on sabbatical
You’ve planned this amazing sabbatical. You’ve been working towards it for years. You’ll finally get the free time you’ve been...
Lyndall Farley
- Oct 13, 2022
- 7 min
How to plan your sabbatical like a pro
So you’re thinking of taking a sabbatical and you have a million questions. What will you do? How long can you take? Can you afford it?...
Lyndall Farley
- Sep 14, 2022
- 3 min
Sabbatical fears - how to overcome them
In a world that rewards the relentless pursuit of productivity, it’s sometimes hard to give ourselves permission to take a break. Just...
Lyndall Farley
- Sep 14, 2022
- 3 min
Your solid sabbatical work coverage plan
To have a great sabbatical experience you need to make sure your work is looked after while you’re away. This reduces the stress for you...
Lyndall Farley
- Sep 14, 2022
- 3 min
Share your "wow" sabbatical story
Re-living your sabbatical through the enjoyment of sharing your story with others is one of the highlights of returning home. It can be a...
Lyndall Farley
- Aug 10, 2022
- 3 min
Making the most of a sabbatical
The best tools and tips for how to make the most of a sabbatical
Lyndall Farley
- Jul 19, 2022
- 5 min
The 5 C's of making your company sabbatical program a success
Do you have a sabbatical policy for your company, but wonder why no one uses it? This is really common. 47% of UK companies and 29% of US...
Lyndall Farley
- May 1, 2022
- 6 min
The psychological phases you'll go through on a sabbatical
How do I make the most of my sabbatical? This question has been coming up a lot lately. There are some distinct psychological phases that...
Lyndall Farley
- Nov 18, 2020
- 5 min
How to ruin your holiday recharge in 4 easy steps (like I just did!)
I recently booked a 2-week break with my husband to recharge and relax. We were limited to local destinations given the Coronavirus...
Lyndall Farley
- May 26, 2020
- 1 min
Time Off - A practical guide to building your rest ethic and finding success without the stress
By John Fitch and Max Frenzel Book abstract: A refreshing approach to creativity We live in a time where busyness is seen as a badge of...
Lyndall Farley
- May 13, 2020
- 1 min
Solve for Happy - Engineer your path to joy
By Mo Gawdat Book abstract: In this “powerful personal story woven with a rich analysis of what we all seek” (Sergey Brin, cofounder of...
Lyndall Farley
- May 13, 2020
- 1 min
Off Balance - Getting beyond the work-life balance myth to personal and professional satisfaction
By Matthew Kelly Book abstract: One of the major issues in our lives today is work-life balance. Everyone wants it; no one has it. But...
Lyndall Farley
- May 1, 2020
- 1 min
The Power of Habit - Why we do what we do in life and business
By Charles Duhigg Book abstract: In The Power of Habit, award-winning New York Times business reporter Charles Duhigg takes us to the...
Lyndall Farley
- May 1, 2020
- 1 min
Make Time - How to focus on what matters every day
By Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky Book abstract: A Friendly Approach to Finding Focus and Energy in Daily Life Make Time is not about...
Lyndall Farley
- Apr 14, 2020
- 1 min
Pivot - The only move that matters is your next one
By Jenny Blake Book abstract: Careers are not linear, predictable ladders any longer; they are fluid trajectories. No matter our age,...
Lyndall Farley
- Apr 14, 2020
- 1 min
Designing your work life - How to thrive and change and find happiness at work
By Bill Burnett & Dave Evans Book abstract: From the authors of the #1 New York Times best seller Designing Your Life comes a job...
Lyndall Farley
- Apr 14, 2020
- 1 min
Designing your life - How to build a well-lived joyful life
By Bill Burnett & Dave Evans Book abstract: At last, a book that shows you how to build—design—a life you can thrive in, at any age or...
Lyndall Farley
- Apr 1, 2020
- 3 min
Look after your people – Helping them thrive beyond Government support
There is some light in this dark time. Just two weeks ago I wrote about my plea to businesses to consider all voluntary leave options...
Lyndall Farley
- Mar 27, 2020
- 4 min
Pause. Reframe. This is your moment to take a Growth Sabbatical
The world had changed. Our lives have changed. Unexpectedly and out of our control. Lot's of people have been thrown into the situation...
Lyndall Farley
- Mar 19, 2020
- 3 min
The Unexpected Sabbatical - how to make the most of it at home
Well... Here we are. A global pandemic. Panic. Fear. Confusion. It's everywhere. I'm sitting here in 'social isolation' in my home in...
Lyndall Farley
- Mar 16, 2020
- 3 min
Pleading the case for voluntary leave - why it's better for business and better for your people
We are in strange times. Covid-19 has thrown us into an increasingly VUCA world (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) with...
Lyndall Farley
- Feb 13, 2020
- 7 min
Sabbatical Stories - Meet the master of sabbatical connections
Nadege Conger is a sabbatical legend. 20 years ago, just as the internet was becoming a big thing, she had the vision of creating a...
Lyndall Farley
- Feb 11, 2020
- 2 min
Offering sabbaticals? Create a sabbatical program (not just a policy)
If you're giving your employees the gift of a sabbatical, don't forget to wrap it! There are so many companies that have a sabbatical...
Lyndall Farley
- Jan 20, 2020
- 3 min
What’s your holiday recharge score?
Most of us managed to take some time off over the Christmas and New Year period. For some, it’s already a distant memory. For others,...
Lyndall Farley
- Dec 5, 2019
- 4 min
How a mid-sized NYC PR agency uses sabbaticals to drive their success
One of the most common misconceptions I come across is that only large companies can provide sabbatical leave for their employees. N6A, a...
Lyndall Farley
- Nov 13, 2019
- 4 min
The real truth about why you want a sabbatical
You say you want a sabbatical, but the truth is, you're probably just running away. Most of the time, I'm the caring, supporting...
Lyndall Farley
- Oct 22, 2019
- 2 min
Sabbaticals are great for people AND business
Eight reasons why a sabbatical program is great for business.
Lyndall Farley
- Oct 7, 2019
- 2 min
The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity
By Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott Book abstract: Does the thought of working for 60 or 70 years fill you with dread? Or can you see the...
Lyndall Farley
- Oct 7, 2019
- 1 min
Rest: Why you get more done when you work less
By Alex Soojung-Kim Pang Book abstract: Overwork is the new normal. Rest is something to do when the important things are done-but they...
Lyndall Farley
- Oct 3, 2019
- 4 min
Sabbatical Stories - Three months of brunch
What if you could slowly explore a new city, having brunch at a different café each day, meeting new people, doing yoga. No agenda, no...
Lyndall Farley
- Sep 27, 2019
- 5 min
Asking for sabbatical leave – 10 tips (and a pitch pack) to get a “yes”
I remember the day I asked my boss for 6-months sabbatical leave to travel around South America. I’m not going to lie… it was messy. Ugly...
Lyndall Farley
- Sep 16, 2019
- 4 min
Should I take a sabbatical? Here's how to find out.
Have you ever dreamed of taking a couple of months off to recharge and pursue a dream but worried it’ll be a big mistake? You’re not...
Lyndall Farley
- Aug 6, 2019
- 4 min
Need a recharging break? Do these 4 things.
You've got this golden gift of time about to unfold before you. You've successfully negotiated a break from work and you're off into the...
Lyndall Farley
- Aug 5, 2019
- 1 min
Sabbatical Pitch Pack
Terrified of asking your boss for a break? This sabbatical pitch pack will guide you in presenting a compelling and professional proposal...
Lyndall Farley
- Jul 27, 2019
- 6 min
Sabbatical Stories - The ‘big life’ experiment
Sandy and Ben want to live a ‘big life’. A life full of juicy adventures, expanded perspectives and memorable moments. So, when they decided
Lyndall Farley
- Jun 5, 2019
- 5 min
Sabbatical Stories - "What are you waiting for, Cancer?"
If you discovered you had a life threatening condition, what would you do? Stay in the same old job, living the same life? Or would you...
Lyndall Farley
- Jun 3, 2019
- 1 min
Sabbatical Readiness Quiz
Thinking about a sabbatical but not sure if it's the right time? Not sure you can afford it? Take this simple quiz to work out your...
Lyndall Farley
- Jun 3, 2019
- 1 min
Sabbatical Cost Calculator
The ultimate planning tool for figuring out how much your dream sabbatical will cost. Hint: It's less than you think! Get planning today!...
Lyndall Farley
- Jun 3, 2019
- 3 min
Months or minutes – how much time do you really need to recharge?
From sabbaticals to mindful minutes, there’s a smorgasbord of choices when you’re thinking about how to recharge. But how much time is...
Lyndall Farley
- Apr 1, 2019
- 4 min
What is a sabbatical? (And why you should take one)
Ever wanted to just put life on pause for a few months to take a break, recharge and do something amazing? We’ve got a word for that....
Lyndall Farley
- Mar 15, 2019
- 5 min
Sabbatical Stories - Little lessons from Nepal and beyond
Trey and Susie set out on their sabbatical last year with a full agenda, travelling to 3 continents in 3 months. They explored new...
Lyndall Farley
- Feb 11, 2019
- 5 min
Deciding to take a sabbatical? Follow these 5 steps first.
The decision to take a sabbatical can be big and daunting. It can be difficult to get over the initial hurdles that stop you from...
Lyndall Farley
- Feb 1, 2019
- 1 min
Reboot Your Life: Energise Your Career & Life by Taking a Break
By Catherine Allen et. al. Book abstract: More Americans are choosing to take time off from work to relax or re-examine their priorities,...
Lyndall Farley
- Feb 1, 2019
- 1 min
Escape 101: Sabbaticals made simple
By Dan Clements and Tara Gignac. Book abstract: Think you can't take a career break? Think again! Escape 101 is a road map for getting...
Lyndall Farley
- Feb 1, 2019
- 2 min
Pause: Harnessing the life changing power of giving yourself a break
By Rachael O'Meara Lyndall's Thoughts: What I love about this book is that it steps through the reason that it's so important that we...
Lyndall Farley
- Oct 19, 2018
- 3 min
3 reasons to negotiate your sabbatical now
When business is booming, power is with the employee. There’s never been a better time to negotiate a sabbatical. We’re in a sabbatical...
Lyndall Farley
- Oct 5, 2018
- 3 min
When excuses win, your sabbatical loses
Get your butt over the 'buts' so you can live your sabbatical dream I get it. You’re tired. Not the kind of tired when you didn’t get a...
Lyndall Farley
- Oct 1, 2018
- 3 min
Sabbaticals that spark change
When you're looking for a recharging break and you stumble across so much more I’m a sabbatical addict and advocate. I’ve taken nine...
Lyndall Farley
- May 18, 2018
- 2 min
My sabbatical life
I accidentally fell into a life of taking regular sabbaticals. When I look back, it's been the catalyst for every significant change in...
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