Big Time Off: The Transformative Power of Sabbaticals and How to Take One

Big Time Off: The Transformative Power of Sabbaticals and How to Take One

• “A sabbatical might be the most important career move you ever make. Read this book to see why—and how to do it.” —Arthur C. Brooks, harvard professor and #1New York Timesbestselling author
  
  A guide to transforming your well-being and your career through purposeful time off, from Harvard Business School Senior Lecturer andfounder of the Sabbatical Project.
  
  Our world of work prioritizes theurgent, but the mostimportantmoments of our life rarely happen at a desk. InBig Time Off, Sabbatical Project founder DJ DiDonna explores a simple but radical idea: sabbaticals help us avoid sleepwalking through life by giving us time to be present in moments of celebration, difficulty, and transition.
  
  Integrating original research and compelling stories of sabbatical-takers from all walks of life—from teachers and nonprofit leaders to startup founders and Fortune 500 employees—Big Time Offexplores why extended time away from work has such a profound effect on people’s identity, relationships, creativity, and direction. You’ll learn:
  
  • When to take a sabbatical—and how to avoid waiting for a crisis to take off.
  • Why sabbaticals—unlike vacations—help you forge a new career path, feel human again, and live a more authentic life.
  • How to navigate your sabbatical using archetypes—the explorer, the seeker, and the achiever—and avoid common pitfalls.
  • Best practices for individuals—no matter the circumstances—and organizations of all sizes to make extended leave possible and sustainable.
  
  Whether you dream of making a big change, exploring the world, or simply carving out space to heal, think, and recalibrate,Big Time Offis your guide to creating a richer, more intentional life.DJ DiDonna is a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School, where he teaches entrepreneurship. In 2019, he founded The Sabbatical Project to define, explore, and research sabbaticals. DiDonna has advised over a dozen organizations on the creation of sabbatical policies, including Zappos, Google, and DaVita, and from nonprofits to Fortune 500 companies, both in the United States and around the world. He attended Harvard Business School and cofounded an international credit-scoring company, EFL Global (the Entrepreneurial Finance Lab), based in Lima, Peru.“A key resource…Whether gap year or a modest form of time off, the sabbatical, DiDonna proves, has immense value in this uncertain world.”—Booklist“A convincing debut treatise [that] extols the benefits of taking intentional time away from work… [BIG TIME OFF] argues sabbaticals shouldn’t be optional luxuries but personal investments accessible to everyone… Inspirational and practical, this is a sound strategy for reinvigorating one’s life away from work.”—Publishers Weekly“In our work-obsessed culture, grabbing even a few days off is hard—let alone taking a real sabbatical. But it can be done, and it might be the most important career move you ever make. Read this book to see why—and how to do it.”—Arthur C. Brooks, Harvard Professor and #1New York Times bestselling author"Sabbaticals of various types have played a major role in my life. So, I was thrilled to read DiDonna's compelling and nuanced take on this often overlooked, yet undeniably powerful strategy."—Cal Newport,New York Times bestselling author ofSlow Productivity andDeep Work"This book is a long-overdue challenge to the way we've been taught to think about work. Backed by original research and compelling stories, DiDonna elegantly makes the case that stepping away from your job could b
• DiDonna, DJ
• ISBN: 9781668060896