While Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence’s recent movie mother! has met with mixed reviews, with people raving about her role in the film on one hand, and critics slamming the film to be too violent. Today, the actress is at the pinnacle of success. However, she only recently announced that she will be taking a break for the next two years following the release of her film, with nothing on her plate — just a break. As it turns out, sabbaticals are pretty popular with both men and women in their 20s. The need to leave the monotony behind and discover new prospects in life with regards to different aspects is an important move now. Life coach Khyati Birla explains that the young generation is a follower of YOLO (you only live once) mantra.
“Earlier people used to have a focused mindset, where they wanted to rise above their circumstances and create a certain stability and certainty in their lives,” she says, adding that most people today approach life with multiple passions. “For people wanting to lead a fuller life, taking sabbaticals is a way of ensuring that they bring the balance to their lives they very badly need, else they will burn out,” she adds.
Kinjal Pandya, counselling psychologist, points that there is a huge difference between sabbaticals and retirement. “People go on sabbaticals with the promise that they will come back to their careers and passions with a fresh perspective. And the sole reason of a sabbatical is experimenting,” she says. Enlisting the benefits of a sabbatical, Khyati says, “These are valuable for people in some form or the other. They are meant for a time that includes introspection, self-discovery, living life as per their own value systems, or a very strategic learning period, which can mean focusing on progressing in just one hobby at a time,” she explains.
And while a sabbatical is a great learning method, Khyati points out that it could be quite unjustified in some cases, especially if you’re using these to run away from crisis situations one is unable to deal with. “I don’t think it is justified, if in your mind, you are escaping from the responsibilities and creating more trouble for your dependants,” she asserts. When planning on going on a sabbatical, Kinjal suggests that one keep one’s options open and discover everything that comes their way. “Now that you have decided to finally go for a sabbatical, it is best to keep an open mind; and not keep your creativity confined to the limits of your mind.” At the same time, she suggests that one keep an itinerary ready. “Draw a mental map as to what all you will be exploring or experimenting with through the sabbatical,” adding that it is also best to have back-ups. “Have a plan A, a plan B, a plan C — multiple plans that will ensure you land back on your feet,” she concludes.
