You may have noticed that we’ve been on hiatus for four weeks. You may have missed reading the Thoughtful Leaders™ blog posts, but we’re back now!

We hope you had a great August and a fun end to the summer. It’s been a great four weeks for us. We’ve had the chance to step back from our daily responsibilities, so that we could come back with fresh perspectives and new ideas. We know we’re lucky. Not everyone can “slow-mo” their business and take a four-week sabbatical.

But the benefits are so worthwhile – a chance to refresh, to play, to clear your mind, to focus on some important things in life like family, friends, and reading good books – that I’ve realized there must be a way to work this sabbatical into everyone’s life. And not just once a year…for four weeks.

So I’m playing with the concept of “mini-sabbaticals.” A mini-chance to glean sabbatical benefits – to cleanse my mind, to refresh my spirit, to focus on things other than my work.

There must be ways to make each day a bit more restful…or at least most days. There must be ways to give ourselves this refresher on a weekly, or even daily, basis. There must be ways to work in mini-breaks and mini-relaxation.

Whether it’s five (or fifteen) minutes of quiet before the start of the day. Or the choice to walk around the block – maybe twice – for a quick lunch break. Or to stop and share a funny story (or hilarious joke) with a colleague, even though you’re under deadline. Or to close your eyes for five minutes, to take a break from the computer screen and ringing phone (and binging instant messages).

It’s my intention to keep mini-sabbaticals as a part of my routine. And to suggest it to my clients as well. It might not be a daily practice, but it can become a habit, and it can add value.

How will you take your mini-sabbatical?
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If you enjoyed this post, you can read more like it in our book, The Power of Thoughtful Leadership: 101 Minutes To Being the Leader You Want To Be, available on Amazon.


For support in claiming your sabbatical, contact Lisa at lkohn@chatsworthconsulting.com.

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