I have hit the 9-month mark of my sabbatical. What an exhilarating ride it has been! My sabbatical allowed me time to recover from burnout. Burnout symptoms of headaches, breakouts, insomnia and persistent stress are NOW gone. Goal achieved!
After lots of rest, reflection, and fun, it is time to get back to work. In all honesty, I have bills to pay so off to work I go. This sabbatical gave me perspective on how I want to work. It challenged me to think differently about work. I no longer want to live to work. That idea is gone out the window. Bye! After the sabbatical, my work will be dictated by how I want to live and feel. Once I realized that I was ready the questions appeared.
How to come back from sabbatical
The idea of lazy days now turning back into a 9-5 is scary. Having recovered from burnout, I do not want to return to that lifestyle! In the last few months, I have taken these 7 steps to return to work after a 9-month sabbatical.
1. Reflect on your sabbatical
You have taken time off to do whatever you want to do. In that time, you probably learned so much more about yourself and how you want to live. From your sabbatical experience, it is time to write down your most important lessons.
Did you prefer a schedule for each day or did you prefer to go with the flow?
Did you discover new things about yourself?
Do you have a new perception of what is most important in life to you?
Did you pick up any new hobbies that you would like to continue?
The answers to these questions are the key to determining how you want to work. As I walked through these steps, I learned that I like to go with the flow and have flexible plans. Some of the best mornings of my sabbatical occurred when I would make a cup of tea in the morning and sip it slowly while reading the news or journaling. Even if the rest of the day was busy, the morning routine would set the pace for the rest of my day.
2. How do you want to work after sabbatical?
Sabbatical life is amazing. After discovery and reflection, it is time to determine how do you want to live after your sabbatical. Nurses, there are so many opportunities out there that can support any lifestyle that you truly desire. Here are some questions to consider:
Do you want a set schedule or flexibility in how you work?
Do you prefer to weekdays, evenings, or rotating?
Is it important that you work with the same people?
Are you curious about opportunities that are in the hospital or bedside setting?
When you work through these questions, be honest with yourself. This is about you! I knew my next job had to be flexible. I wanted to create my own schedule based on my lifestyle in a stress-free environment. The job had to be day shift. After 18 years as a nurse, I am done working holidays, evenings, and nights. Yet, I would consider some weekends if it supported my lifestyle.
3. What are your strengths?
This may be a difficult one to explore. Throughout my experience, I have found that nurses are not great at promoting themselves. Because we identify as nurses, sometimes it is hard to find our unique talents. I, too, was initially challenged by this question. I took several quizzes that were helpful. However, I needed more information so I did the following things:
Ask your friends or previous work colleagues what they think you do really well.
Write down the skills that come naturally to you.
Think about your social activities and what role you typically play.
After speaking with my friends and reflecting on conversations, I learned that immediately people note my friendly personality, I’m energetic and optimistic. My natural skills as a leader, organizer, and motivator thrive in environments that support innovation and collaboration. Any new role must include teamwork and creativity.
4. What brings you joy?
You may see this buzz phrase around a lot right now was people discuss burnout. Joy is a word used to describe a feeling of great pleasure or happiness. There are many things that bring you joy in your life if you were to make a list. That’s just the beginning of determining your joy at work. Therefore:
Create a list of the things that bring you joy in life.
Create a list of things that have brought you joy at work. Is it the work environment, the culture of the workplace, the team, or the leader?
Did you love doing a particular task?
Throughout my blog, I have described how passionate I am about nursing. I love helping people. That is my passion! I have experienced the most joy at work when I can help others or motivate others. I love working in spaces that support diversity of people and thought. It allows me to be my authentic self while doing the work that I love.
5. What are your top 3 job non-negotiable?
Now that you have arrived at this step, you create a list of how you want to live, what are your strengths and what brings you joy. The next step is simple.
What are the top 3 things your next job has to have?
What are your non-negotiables?
Consider setting, location, team, and work culture.
Your list may be longer than 3. That is ok too. The 3, 5, or 10 things should be non-negotiable. My non-negotiables in my next job are flexibility in when I work, pay rate, must involve caring for the community, and lunch breaks.
6. Start looking for a job.
Here comes the fun part. (I say that sarcastically). Lol. In all honesty, it can be fun as you decide what is for you and what isn’t for you. In the past, I have looked at hospital sites. Knowing that I don’t want to work for a hospital full time, I had to be creative with my search. I looked at:
Job Boards such as Indeed and Zip Recruiter
Travel Nursing Companies
Networking with your friends and colleagues
Facebook Groups
Hospital
I am an extrovert person and love talking to people and sharing stories. I found a teaching role through my mentor that required someone with my expertise to teach an NP program for a few weeks. It was perfect! I have used Indeed to look for contract roles with my non-negotiables.
7. Interview- how do you introduce yourself after a sabbatical
This might be the scariest part. In a society where everyone is expected to always work unless you have a medical excuse, it may be hard to explain a career break or sabbatical. Sabbaticals are becoming more mainstream. In preparing for your interview, share with the potential employer:
Your work history and what you learned through your previous roles
Be transparent about your sabbatical and how it has prepared you for this role
Share why you think the role is for you.
Having interviewed many nurse practitioners for roles, a hiring manager can tell if you are being authentic. If they don’t think you are the right fit for the job because you took a sabbatical, then they are not the right fit for you. I recently interviewed for a clinical role, and I did these exact 3 things. Do you know what the Interviewer said, “When can you come in to visit? We would love to, have you?”
Your skills are transferable as a nurse wherever you want to go. Go get this job!
My Next Step
Once I walked myself through these steps, I found a job 1 week after looking. My first role is working as a COVID vaccine Nurse Practitioner role per diem position, and I absolutely love it. I take care of pediatric patients I a non-stressful environment, actively caring for the community. Follow me on Instagram or Tiktok as I share my day in the life of a Travel NP.
