Taking a Sabbatical

[Teacher]

Originally Posted by Manton

I did this for three years. It was called "graduate school."

Hmmm...now that I think of it, it does all sound familiar....

 

[OttoSkadelig]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Do it now, as the longer you progress in the life, the harder it will be to step away from it.

very good advice.

a couple of other thoughts.

as you reflect, it's worth going deep beneath the superficial questions (e.g., what jobs would i like, what am i good at) to the really fundamental questions about what turns you on. money/power, or interesting work at acceptable pay? being hands-on, or managing people? tackling big, nebulous issues, or more self-contained questions? how much do you need to be surrounded by people like you to feel intellectually fulfilled? etc.

talk to people you are close to. trying to do this in isolation may not result in the blinding flashes you may be seeking because you may be close to it all. but also talk to people in various fields you may be considering because otherwise you will not have an informed view of the alternatives and may end up shutting out or including options that aren't really suited for you.

don't take too much time off (i'd recommend 3-4 months) -- the short timeframe will force you to come to closure (at least initial closure). also, research has shown that people who exit the workforce for an extended period of time find that their overall outlook on life gets further deflated -- self-confidence takes a hit -- you start doubting yourself, etc. you probably don't want to end up in this space. for this same reason i wouldn't recommend bumming around or taking on "menial jobs". soon you will start to think of yourself as being a menial work type of person, and there's no good ending to that story. give yourself a challenging and interesting project to keep your brain alive.

good luck.

 

[stevester1]

Out of curiosity, since writing your exam, were you doing accounting tasks or more administrative/clerical ones? I know a few guys who wanted to kill themselves while waiting for their official designation - they had to do all the dirty work, but once they were official CA it got better.

Anyways, if you don't like being an accountant, you'll find your days long as hell, regardless of a nice trip, but do it anyways. Like others have said, you won't be able to pull this **** when you're older.

 

[FidelCashflow]

^
I got a raise and promotion this year (still not a huge amount of money for a CA) but the work is boring, I do review of financial statements and taxes. The work I'm doing next year is pretty much the same as last year.

I enjoy talking to people about real issues they have running their business. I worry that by doing my CA and working 3 years I've already pigeon holed myself and I want to find a way out. The best I can figure is I went into this job because it was a safe profession with a steady paycheque.

I want to find a way to break the cycle, and if I could get an unpaid internship in something totally different like advertising in a big city for a few months at least I could explore if the grass is really greener on the other side of the fence. Plus I feel like I really haven't done anything truly noteworthy with my life that I can look back on and say "wow... I did that." I know that sounds super lame as I type it, but that's what I'm thinking.

Right now I have no financial commitments, so I figure I could try and stash away a couple of grand between now and next summer and take a leave of abscence and hopefully figure out what I really want to do. But I guess I need more than a plan to just show up and wait for the universe to point me in the right direction.

Sometimes I think about doing an MBA, but I'm afraid I'll just get myself into something else I don't really enjoy. I think my biggest mistake was not doing an internship before committing to the career.

 

[Matt]

Originally Posted by MetroStyles

I did 3 months in asia.
i did eight years. Didnt find ****. Still lookin'.

 

[Matt]

Originally Posted by FidelCashflow

^ I got a raise and promotion this year (still not a huge amount of money for a CA) but the work is boring, I do review of financial statements and taxes. The work I'm doing next year is pretty much the same as last year. I enjoy talking to people about real issues they have running their business. I worry that by doing my CA and working 3 years I've already pigeon holed myself and I want to find a way out. The best I can figure is I went into this job because it was a safe profession with a steady paycheque. I want to find a way to break the cycle, and if I could get an unpaid internship in something totally different like advertising in a big city for a few months at least I could explore if the grass is really greener on the other side of the fence. Plus I feel like I really haven't done anything truly noteworthy with my life that I can look back on and say "wow... I did that." I know that sounds super lame as I type it, but that's what I'm thinking. Right now I have no financial commitments, so I figure I could try and stash away a couple of grand between now and next summer and take a leave of abscence and hopefully figure out what I really want to do. But I guess I need more than a plan to just show up and wait for the universe to point me in the right direction. Sometimes I think about doing an MBA, but I'm afraid I'll just get myself into something else I don't really enjoy. I think my biggest mistake was not doing an internship before committing to the career.
I won't bother with an excess of crap...if you have got the money to spend six months wandering the earth, then I absolutely say do it. I consider travel to be one of the best investments a person can make in his or herself, and am all in favor of anyone making that investment.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by FidelCashflow

Sometimes I think about doing an MBA, but I'm afraid I'll just get myself into something else I don't really enjoy. I think my biggest mistake was not doing an internship before committing to the career.
You need to stop this ****. People that are both paid well and love their jobs are rare and lucky bastards. Most of us are neutral to despise our jobs. Keep your priorities straight: work is to provide the ability to be able to care for your family and pay for your leisure activities. Even people I know that say they love their jobs/profession still ***** about them constantly.

 

[CruzAzul]

Not to be a pedant, but "sabbatical" is not the right word for this. You're basically talking about vagrancy.

 

[frenchy]

fidel the posters that are telling you not to do it or that its a bad idea HAVE NEVER DONE IT,thats why they think its a bad idea...i have and yes you will enlighten your life.try something called WOOFING heres a link http://www.wwoof.org/ basically lets say you want 3 months in the south of france you go on the site and find a farm that needs labour (i did this) you work your 8 hours and the rest is your time all for "free" ( i qoute because well you are working for it but its something enjoyable,ususally harvesting,dates,lemons etc )... lodging, a good meal (plus wine hehe)

 

[the.chikor]

Originally Posted by FidelCashflow

I just got my CA an am not really enjoying life right now. I'm thinking maybe I should save up this year and take 6 months to a year next year to explore the world and find out what I really want to do with my life. Maybe bum around europe or something and work menial jobs for spare cash.

Has anyone ever done this? Did it help?

Just take a long vacation-buming around Europe. You will not have a chance when you start working.

 

[Davidko19]

This kind of freedom - the freedom to go out and "find who you are" - is a luxury. I know many people, including myself, have to work to survive. If you have the means to do it, then why the **** not? Id say 3 months though.

I kinda look at this as unemplyment though. I was unemployed for 6 weeks and certainly didnt "find myself" and I dont think being in a new location woulda changed that.

Originally Posted by Jekyll

From what I've heard, it's actually really difficult to find that kind of work in Europe.

My buddy hustled and handed out fliers for bars to tourists for a year. Not great pay but its in cash and about all you can get.

Originally Posted by MetroStyles

I did 3 months in asia.

So did this help or was it just a vacation?

 

[frenchy]

Originally Posted by Davidko19

This kind of freedom - the freedom to go out and "find who you are" - is a luxury. I know many people, including myself, have to work to survive. If you have the means to do it, then why the **** not? Id say 3 months though.

I kinda look at this as unemplyment though. I was unemployed for 6 weeks and certainly didnt "find myself" and I dont think being in a new location woulda changed that.





My buddy hustled and handed out fliers for bars to tourists for a year. Not great pay but its in cash and about all you can get.






So did this help or was it just a vacation?

three months in europe and 6 weeks being unemployed is NOT THE SAME THING lol

 

[MetroStyles]

Originally Posted by Davidko19

So did this help or was it just a vacation?

Help? Help what?

 

[celery]

Originally Posted by FidelCashflow

^
I got a raise and promotion this year (still not a huge amount of money for a CA) but the work is boring, I do review of financial statements and taxes. The work I'm doing next year is pretty much the same as last year.

No matter what you choose to do, there will be tedium involved. For example, I chose to go into Fine Arts and spent my first two years out of college being an artist. First of all, I made little money despite being more successful then 99% of art graduates (meaning, I sold a couple hundred pieces. However, even in a creative field, people like consistency and your work can end up being formulaic long after you've grown bored with it.

And there is great tedium after you've built and prep'd your Nth stretcher, called everyone you needed to get hold of for your show, schmoozed idiots hoping they would open their wallets, explaining your ideas to clueless visitors for the millionth time. That **** gets old and aggravating. I found that the only part of it I actually enjoyed was creating art that I wanted to make.

I enjoy talking to people about real issues they have running their business. I worry that by doing my CA and working 3 years I've already pigeon holed myself and I want to find a way out. The best I can figure is I went into this job because it was a safe profession with a steady paycheque.

Perhaps you can continue working as a CA and get an MBA in management or entrepreneurship and look for jobs in that fields. You're knowledge of numbers will come in handy.

I want to find a way to break the cycle, and if I could get an unpaid internship in something totally different like advertising in a big city for a few months at least I could explore if the grass is really greener on the other side of the fence. Plus I feel like I really haven't done anything truly noteworthy with my life that I can look back on and say "wow... I did that." I know that sounds super lame as I type it, but that's what I'm thinking.

You can't break the cycle. Everything comes down to formula, pattern, and eventually tedium. You may find advertising interesting because you are allowed to come up with ideas, but if you stretch that out over 5, 10, 20 years you'll see that there isn't as much variety as you think.

Define "noteworthy", because that's either a lofty goal or a myth you've built in your own mind. No one outside your family will care when you die.

Right now I have no financial commitments, so I figure I could try and stash away a couple of grand between now and next summer and take a leave of abscence and hopefully figure out what I really want to do. But I guess I need more than a plan to just show up and wait for the universe to point me in the right direction.

A couple of grand? While I encourage your idea of travel, you'll want more money. Cause **** happens.

The universe doesn't care about you. Nothing (other than yourself) is going to point you anywhere. Travel for the sake of enjoyment or enrichment, but don't delude yourself into thinking you'll find some magic fairy dust that will make your wildest dreams come true.

Sometimes I think about doing an MBA, but I'm afraid I'll just get myself into something else I don't really enjoy. I think my biggest mistake was not doing an internship before committing to the career.

Go travel, come back, do an internship in what you think you would like. Seems simple enough to me, don't know why you're agonizing over it. Although, my best guess is that your view of the world and your future has crumbled to reality, and you're still hopeful that there's an "IWIN" button somewhere that you can push.

I'd say, before jumping ship, figure out what you want your life to look like in 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years. Work towards those goals.

 

[HomerJ]

+1 to what celery and Piobaire said. Traveling is great. Go travel, have memorable experiences. But I think you're expecting too much out of it with regard to finding some kind of calling.

Originally Posted by Unrefinery

Not to be a pedant, but "sabbatical" is not the right word for this. You're basically talking about vagrancy.
True. In my field you still pursue scholarship on sabbatical. Bumming around it ain't. Some of that pursuit might be on the golf course though