Back from Sabbatical

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Back from Sabbatical

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Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736478 More actions · Answer 1

quackhandle1975 (7/21/2014)
Glad to say hi to you at SQLBits.
qh

Thanks, and good to meet you as well. I really enjoyed SQLBits.

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736478 More actions · Answer 2

Jeffrey Irish (7/21/2014)
Glad to hear you are refreshed.
The longest vacation that I have been blessed to take is 2 weeks. I can scarcely imagine what taking a 6 week break must be like.
What I would fear is what I would come back to. The e-mails, the potential for disaster, complaints about other staff. :w00t:
Steve, what was it like? What did you do to decompress and recollect your thoughts? How did you avoid thinking about what was waiting for you when you got back?

I've never taken a break this long, and almost never more than a week since I was a teenager.

I've blogged about it a bit here, including a little of the reflections on the time. I'll do a bit more this week, as well as more in Dec (6mo review)

https://voiceofthedba.wordpress.com/tag/sabbatical/

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736478 More actions · Answer 3

Julie Breutzmann (7/21/2014)
Welcome back! My pastor just got back from a renewal leave of four weeks and it made a huge impact on her. Unfortunately, not very many places have this perk.

I've never thought much of it until I went through it. I do think if you want to retain employees whose job it is to think and create, this is something you should periodically do. My guess is that 4 weeks might be enough, though I do think people should have some plan for growth, and not just take more vacation and relax.

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736478 More actions · Answer 4

below86 (7/21/2014)
Welcome back Steve. Can't wait to hear what you did on your sabbatical. That is a nice perk I wish we all had.:-)

https://voiceofthedba.wordpress.com/tag/sabbatical/ - Summary at the top, but most posts from each day.

Miles Neale SSChampion Points: 13147 More actions · Answer 5

Glad you are back, and happy the time away was so profitable. You deserved a good time away with those who matter most.

🙂

M...

Not all gray hairs are Dinosaurs!

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736478 More actions · Answer 6

Andrew-H (7/21/2014)
Hello Steve,
Ditto on Jeffrey's comments and questions. I am unfamiliar with sabbatical and I am intrigued with what they are about, especially for someone in the IT industry.
Thank you and welcome back,
Andy

Thanks

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 7

Steve Jones - SSC Editor (7/21/2014)
Julie Breutzmann (7/21/2014)
Welcome back! My pastor just got back from a renewal leave of four weeks and it made a huge impact on her. Unfortunately, not very many places have this perk.
I've never thought much of it until I went through it. I do think if you want to retain employees whose job it is to think and create, this is something you should periodically do. My guess is that 4 weeks might be enough, though I do think people should have some plan for growth, and not just take more vacation and relax.

Many years ago during a job search I applied at Micron in Boise, ID. One of their perks at the time (just tried looking to see if the still did but couldn't find a link to Benefits) was a 90 day sabbatical after working there for 7 years.

OCTom SSChampion Points: 11785 More actions · Answer 8

Welcome back, Steve. I am impressed by your list of accomplishments. I am impressed by anyone who can work with wood. Woodworking confounds me. I have taken classes, read books, and watched videos. The skill of cutting a straight line has eluded me for over forty years. The tip to measure twice and cut once does nothing for me. I still can't make a straight cut. I know a master carpenter who builds wonderful cabinets and furniture and am always amazed at how difficult even simple tasks are for me.

Tom

Wannbee woodworker :unsure:

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736478 More actions · Answer 9

OCTom (7/21/2014)
Welcome back, Steve. I am impressed by your list of accomplishments. I am impressed by anyone who can work with wood. Woodworking confounds me. I have taken classes, read books, and watched videos. The skill of cutting a straight line has eluded me for over forty years. The tip to measure twice and cut once does nothing for me. I still can't make a straight cut. I know a master carpenter who builds wonderful cabinets and furniture and am always amazed at how difficult even simple tasks are for me.
Tom
Wannbee woodworker :unsure:

I really struggled with the straight line cuts as well. I got better, but I'd rather use a machine for those. I'm not sure hand cutting a tenon is fundamentally better than machine cuts.

However I was amazed at planing and I'd definitely consider using that for small changes instead of a machine. Was also glad to have someone show me how to sharpen things well and why.

Marcia J SSCertifiable Points: 5649 More actions · Answer 10

Our pastors get a sabbatical every few years (I think maybe every 5, but don't hold me to that.)

It's usually a mixture of time to relax and time to grow. For instance, they may observe different churches to see how things are done differently, or they may take a short class that they otherwise couldn't take. Or they might go to some conferences. Or do some self-study. (Or a mixture of some of the above.)

They always come back refreshed, renewed, and ready to apply what they learned while on sabbatical.

So, while it's partly about time off, it's much more about time to grow and learn in ways that they can't when they're involved in the day-to-day work.