A Forced Sabbatical and Post Pandemic Changes

Photo by Mateusz Dach from Pexels

While I have had to do some work during the stay-at-home season, the workload has not been nearly as much as I am used to. At first this was a bit intimidating. I am blessed and fortunate to still have a job and the paycheck that comes with, but I felt like I needed to be doing something for 7-8 hours per day. There's just one problem. The nature of my position at the day job is such that I need to be in the building to do most of my work. And so I do what I can and then the rest of my day is sort of like being on a sabbatical, which would be nice if I knew how to handle being on sabbatical.

It seems like being on a sabbatical should be easy, just stop doing what you would normally do and do something else. Of course under normal circumstances, what you do during a sabbatical is dependent on if you are paid or not. Based on a quick internet search a paid sabbatical allows you to study or to pursue a new idea you can bring back to your job. Conversely an unpaid sabbatical allows you to volunteer or do something else and then (hopefully) get your job back afterwards. Early on I struggled with how not to waste my time while obeying the stay-at-home order. Now I realize that this is a great time to think and to plan changes I can make once the order is lifted. This is a great time to take a paid sabbatical, even if it is a forced sabbatical.

I've followed the same routine for decades. Having started straight out of college, I am one of those rare birds who has worked for the same company for a long time. I have gotten up at the same time, left the house at the same time and caught the same train every morning. While I have changed positions within the company, for the last several years my work routine has been the same. Now, like many of you, I find myself forced out of my routine. I also find myself wondering how I can do a better job once I go back. Is it time to further shake up my daily routine?

As I ponder changes to my day job work routine, I find that other parts of my life also need a shake up. I can be better: a better husband, father, homeowner and a better writer. There is a silver lining to my stay-at-home cloud. Through it I have the time to think and as a result I see my path in a different light. I see changes I can make that will lead to something different and better after this pandemic runs its course. I see that I needed this unplanned sabbatical because I needed time to think about change.