How to Use Your Sabbatical for Renewal (Not Just Output)

As an academic, when you read the word “sabbatical,” you may immediately think about the papers, books, or research projects you’ll complete during your time away. After all, there’s an unspoken pressure of academic sabbaticals to maximize time away for productivity. But what if your sabbatical could be more than just output? What would it look like to also take a sabbatical for renewal?

While output and productivity have their place in an academic sabbatical, so too do personal and professional renewal. In fact, perhaps somewhat controversially, I’d argue that restoring your energy, perspective, and purpose on sabbatical is more important than submitting another paper for review.

Still, taking a sabbatical for renewal requires a shift in mindset: from treating your sabbatical as a to-do list, to seeing it as a space for reflection, growth, and rejuvenation.

Sabbatical Guilt and Output Pressure

Many academics arrive at their sabbatical with a list of big projects: finish that book draft, collect new data, or submit multiple papers for review. These expectations can create guilt the moment you step away from your usual routine. Even the idea of taking a break can seem indulgent because of a felt pressure to produce.

But the reality is that renewal is a critical part of the sabbatical experience. Without it, your time away can leave you feeling drained or lacking direction, rather than refreshed. This, in turn, puts you at higher risk for experiencing academic burnout – even during what is supposed to be a restorative time.

Personal and professional renewal while on sabbatical isn’t a distraction. Instead, taking time for renewal while on sabbatical provides a foundation for creativity, clarity, and long-term productivity.

Two Dimensions of Renewal

Using a sabbatical (or pseudo-sabbatical) for renewal doesn’t just mean you’re taking a break from work. Instead, think of it as an opportunity to recharge both your professional and personal life. Focusing on these two dimensions can help you return from sabbatical refreshed, inspired, and ready to move forward with clarity.

Professional Renewal

I’ll start with professional renewal, since this may come easier to many of us. Beyond manuscript drafting or data collection, an academic sabbatical is also an opportunity to step back from daily routines and evaluate your career path.

Ask questions such as: What aspects of your work energize you? What might you want to leave behind? Are there new directions you’re curious to explore?

Taking stock of these questions allows you to approach your career with renewed intention. It’s one of the core things I emphasize in the Renewable Academic, because I believe wholeheartedly that pausing periodically helps us to propel forward with more purpose.

Personal Renewal

I think there’s an unspoken belief that academic sabbaticals are for professional productivity and development, period. And while the professional aspects of sabbatical are very important, it’s also critical to take time for yourself – personally – on sabbatical.

A sabbatical provides a rare opportunity to (re)connect with yourself. The key here is resisting the urge to focus exclusively on your professional identity. Personal renewal might mean prioritizing your physical health, reflecting on your overall happiness, spending more time with family or friends, or rediscovering what brings you joy outside of academia.

Often, our regular academic schedules leave little room for self-reflection. A sabbatical gives you permission to pause and recalibrate.

Practical Ways to Use Your Sabbatical for Renewal

Using your sabbatical for renewal (in addition to professional goals) does take some planning. Without it, you run the risk of favoring a focus entirely on professional output.

Strategies for Renewal

Some simple strategies to incorporate renewal into your sabbatical (without sacrificing the projects you care about) include:

Write renewal goals into your proposal. In addition to detailing anticipated scholarly activities and output in your sabbatical proposal, mention using the time for renewal. Renewal may not be the item that gets your sabbatical approved, but it creates accountability, and helps normalize it at higher levels.
Schedule reflection time each week. Even short periods for journaling, walking, or quiet thinking can help you reconnect with your priorities (professional or personal).
Step back from routine tasks. Allow yourself to pause emails, advising, or committee work that can wait (boundaries are really important here).
Explore something new. Try an activity purely for curiosity or enjoyment, such as learning a skill or taking up a new hobby. For example, on my next sabbatical, I want to take French lessons.
Rest intentionally. Sometimes, doing nothing at all is the most powerful way to recharge. If rest doesn’t come naturally for you (I can relate!), schedule time for rest – and commit to it like you would to a manuscript deadline.

Scheduling

And on a scheduling note, know that renewal can happen alongside “regular” academic sabbatical productivity. For example, you might dedicate mornings to reflection or personal growth, and afternoons to smaller, manageable academic tasks (or vice versa). Or, you might dedicate a certain day of the week entirely to professional and personal renewal work (because yes, it is work).

By designing your schedule with both renewal and scholarly output in mind, you’re more likely to end your sabbatical feeling energized, purposeful, and prepared for the next chapter of your career – whatever that may be.

So, as you consider using for sabbatical for renewal, remember that this isn’t wasted time. It’s a strategic investment in your future – as an academic, and as a person.

Final Thoughts

Sabbaticals provide a rare opportunity to hit pause, take stock, and invest in yourself – both professionally and personally. Focusing on renewal sets the stage for a more creative, fulfilling, and productive academic life for years to come. Because of this, renewal is something I center in my sabbatical coaching program.

Curious about academic renewal, but don’t have a sabbatical on the horizon? I created the Renewable Academic, a self-paced program emphasizing personal and professional renewal, just for this purpose. No leave required!