[HN Gopher] Ask HN: Is it a bad time to take a sabbatical?
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       Ask HN: Is it a bad time to take a sabbatical?
        
       A tech employee (PM) at a startup with 2 years as a PM and about 10
       years as a dev. Have been continuously working for those 12 years
       without a good break and I fear I might be on the verge of burnout.
       I'm looking for advice on the best approach to taking a sabbatical.
       The economy is what scares me. I don't want a 4 month sabbatical to
       turn into a 12 month break. Is it a good time and how would you
       approach it? We have a dual income home and we will break even on a
       monthly basis if one of us takes a sabbatical. Any advice would be
       greatly appreciated. Thanks!
        
       Author : neofrommatrix
       Score  : 9 points
       Date   : 2023-10-09 22:17 UTC (45 minutes ago)
        
       | rrr_oh_man wrote:
       | I just took a 3 month break after working 12 years almost non
       | stop.
       | 
       | Rebuilt my kitchen (manual work, accomplishments, yay!), visited
       | some cool places, reconnected with old friends.
       | 
       | Didn't think about work for _weeks_, at least.
       | 
       | Even though there's nothing good in the horizon, yet, and, quite
       | honestly, the money is drying up, I'm glad I took that break.
       | 
       | Would have been pretty miserable by now.
       | 
       | Burn out is not worth it.
        
         | neofrommatrix wrote:
         | Thank you! Are you still on a break? Good luck with finding a
         | new one!
        
       | ytNumbers wrote:
       | A dangerous move, indeed! It's not the greatest employment market
       | to be taking such a risk. Having said that, you have to weigh ALL
       | of the risks for your situation. Since you fear you might be on
       | the verge of burnout, my opinion is that you must take a break
       | despite the risks. I say this because I once knew someone who
       | suffered burnout, and it took them FOUR YEARS to finally be able
       | to return to the work force. A four month self-imposed break
       | looks a lot better than four years of being unable to work. You
       | may struggle to find work if we wind up in a recession four
       | months from now, but a four month break after so many years in
       | the industry should not raise any big red flags with employers.
       | You don't want to work for any manager who would label you as
       | lazy for taking four months off after so many years.
        
         | neofrommatrix wrote:
         | Thank you!
        
         | krankin1 wrote:
         | It's always going to feel risky until you do it. Once you do,
         | you'll see that it isn't quite as scary as you think. An added
         | bonus, if in the future you ever do find yourself temporarily
         | out of work you'll know it's not the end of the world.
         | 
         | I took a sabbatical April of 22, thinking I would take 3 months
         | off, it took a full year before I felt like I was ready to go
         | back to work. Taking off was one of the best decisions I've
         | ever made. I've spent more time with my family, been able to
         | pursue some hobbies I previously didn't have time for, and have
         | cultivated stronger relationships because I've been able to
         | spend time with people I care for. In short, do it. You won't
         | regret it.
        
       | accrual wrote:
       | I would approach it by looking at the market now and seeing
       | what's available. It doesn't guarantee there will be a great fit
       | at the end of your sabbatical, but it should give numbers to
       | guide by.
       | 
       | I feel like it's a bit like the stock market. You can't predict
       | it, and timing the market may not be helpful. If you need a break
       | - you need a break. If we imagine a graph, the damage from
       | burnout will at some point exceed the damage of taking a break
       | and not immediately finding a new job.
       | 
       | Might not be super helpful, but mental health quote I read
       | recently was: if you're strong enough to leave, you're strong
       | enough to find your way again afterwards.
        
         | neofrommatrix wrote:
         | Your advice helped! Thank you.
        
       | willcipriano wrote:
       | In the pro column: Capital is cracking the whip, that means less
       | opportunities for rewards for the rank and file. This is a great
       | time to take a break and save energy for a time where efforts are
       | more likely to be rewarded.
        
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       (page generated 2023-10-09 23:02 UTC)