Sabbatical – making the most of it

When I told my mum about my sabbatical she asked whether I thought I might find it difficult with an abundance of time and less structure, and she had found that friends moving into retirement or trialling retirement had sometimes felt like they hadn’t ‘made the most’ of the time.

I don’t think I’m too worried about this, but at the same time I do want my sabbatical to be 3 months of experimenting with what it’s like to put less pressure on myself. However, sometimes I find free time confronting / uncomfortable (as I think ‘I don’t know what to do’).

IM
t – I get to choose what I do
f – reassured
s – broadness in chest
a – look at my list, don’t panic, take time to feel into what I’d like, don’t buffer with TV / scrolling / checking business things
r – I do something intentionally

I thought it might be useful to come up with a set of activities that I can choose from, here they are:
– meditate
– read
– go for a walk
– sunbathe / lie / sit outside / in the park
– go for a coffee
– yoga
– PT / gym
– climb
– walk in the malverns
– longer hike somewhere
– pottery
– see friends
– host dinner party
– cook nice food
– nap
– write
– journal
– cold swim

 

 

Answer:

We never, ever have to borrow thoughts that don’t serve us. Even if the most well meaning people offer them to us.  It could be interesting to play a little and imagine what your mother’s model was when she shared this with you. What is she trying to do? (hint…humans are always looking for a feeling)

Sometimes you find free time confronting/uncomfortable…so, what? Why is this a problem? Is it a problem? I think you’ve already sensed that this is an opportunity to care for yourself in a way you never have. That may include not judging yourself for how you spend your time. What do you think?