The Self-Declared Pseudosabbatical

Earlier this year, I took a break to recharge, reflect and refocus. I took a similar pause last year, and I plan to take another next year. And the year after that.

I have started referring to these breaks as “pseudosabbaticals”: informal periods of time away that mimic a traditional sabbatical, though generally shorter and without university guidelines. A pseudosabbatical is self-declared. It does not require formal approval or a university policy; it requires initiative. It is a decision to treat available time—often time that already exists on our academic calendars—as intentional space rather than overflow.

Unpacking the Pseudosabbatical

As a midcareer academic, sabbatical is one of the great perks of my job. But the reality is that sabbaticals are few and far between. And in juggling the near-constant demands of research, teaching and service, I have found myself in need of intentional breaks more frequently than every seven years.

So, I did something about it. I started reflecting on winter and summer breaks and what I might be able to accomplish with them professionally and personally. And by thinking of breaks in this way—as opportunities for pseudo- or minisabbaticals—I began to learn more about my work, myself and my goals within and outside academia.

I should note that I do not believe a pseudosabbatical is a replacement for a full, official sabbatical. While the former offers an opportunity to lightly step away for a brief period, the latter allows for true detachment. Nothing can replace the opportunity to fully break from regular academic responsibilities for a single semester (or, if you are lucky, academic year)—not just for the time off, but for the space for reflection and renewal.

Still, pseudosabbaticals provide opportunities for continual rest, reflection and renewal. These informal periods, in my opinion, are critical to preventing burnout, which is all too common in higher education.

Academia tends to treat renewal as episodic rather than ongoing. We build in sabbaticals every seven years or so and assume that is sufficient. In the in-between years, we are expected to sustain productivity while navigating increasing service demands, shifting institutional pressures and personal responsibilities. But if academic careers are measured in decades, it is worth asking whether one formal pause per decade is truly enough.

How and When to Take a Pseudosabbatical

What one does on a pseudosabbatical is very much like a traditional sabbatical—it depends on the person, their needs and the amount of time they have. On that note, I believe a month is the sweet spot for a pseudosabbatical, but you can experiment with shorter or longer periods, depending on your needs. For this reason, a pseudosabbatical is mainly limited to time between semesters.

When it comes to planning a pseudosabbatical, I like to start with goals and purpose. What do you need from this brief time away? For some, a pseudosabbatical might be centered around recovering from burnout or exhaustion that has accumulated over the academic year. In this scenario, the pseudosabbatical is not about checking off a list of things to do but rather taking time to prioritize rest and renewal. For others, a pseudosabbatical is a focused work period—for example, you plan a month of dedicated, structured time to advance a research project that is important to you but that you have limited time for during regular work periods. Still others might design a pseudosabbatical centering big-picture thinking—something we rarely have time for during the semester—to revisit career vision and long-term goals.

A single pseudosabbatical should be guided by one specific purpose. If you plan a month of self-directed time away and attempt to start a new research project and finish two others, take time to rest and spend time with family, and consider long-term career goals, you have created a sprint; this is the opposite aim of any type of sabbatical and is bound to leave you exhausted as you return to work.

My most recent pseudosabbatical was a month long and very much vision-based. I spent four weeks reflecting on and rethinking research priorities for the years ahead while also launching a project dedicated to reimagining time away in academia. I did most of this during a period of nonresponsibility with my university, but I also made sure to maintain my regular between-semester academic responsibilities, such as advising and committee work.

That is another thing that makes the pseudosabbatical distinct from a traditional sabbatical: You (most likely) cannot fully break from your academic responsibilities with a pseudosabbatical like you can with a traditional sabbatical. Instead, you plan your pseudosabbatical around the responsibilities you are unable to shed without a formal leave. In that vein, a pseudosabbatical does not challenge the structure of academic contracts or institutional norms. It works within them. For those of us on nine- or 10-month appointments, summer and winter breaks already exist. The question, then, is not whether the system allows for breaks, but whether we are intentional enough to claim the time that is already there.

Where to Take a Pseudosabbatical

Most of my pseudosabbaticals have happened while traveling, but travel on pseudosabbatical is not essential. Pseudosabbaticals can happen at home. This is especially true if you are juggling family or caregiving needs. While place is important, the purpose of the time is what really matters.

Still, if the opportunity allows, travel on pseudosabbatical can be hugely beneficial. I like to travel for my pseudosabbaticals because they allow a distinct separation of space from my typical daily life and routine. But if you are unable to travel for a pseudosabbatical, you can create some of that separated space at home. Plus, travel is not all golden—the time and energy it requires just to get somewhere, plus navigating new places and cultures, can be just as much a barrier as a benefit.

Why Take a Pseudosabbatical

If you are skeptical or wondering if pseudosabbatical is just another name for vacation, I would argue it is not. A pseudosabbatical should never be thought of as vacation, just as a traditional sabbatical also is not a vacation. Vacation is often about escape—stepping away from work entirely. A pseudosabbatical is about recalibration. The difference is not simply rest; it is design.

Academic careers are long. Once we clear the hurdle of tenure, we reach what many refer to as the midcareer phase, which can last for decades. We rarely talk about how to sustain the years between milestones—between tenure and promotion, between formal sabbaticals, and between major achievements. Those in-between years are where most of academic life actually unfolds. If we want those decades to be meaningful rather than merely going through the motions, we may need to normalize more purposeful pauses along the way.

In a system with seemingly increasing demands and stressors, intentional pauses can allow us to work with a greater sense of purpose and meaning. In turn, we contribute more to our departments, universities and the greater academic communities we serve. In that regard, pseudosabbaticals do not just benefit the individual taking them—they benefit a wider commitment to enduring, sustainable academic careers.

If you are break-averse, I get it. Prior to my first sabbatical, I rarely took time off—always finding windows of time to do more. It can be difficult to think about why you would want to pause when you could keep going in your normal routine. But I have found that the more breaks I take, the more clarity I gain on what matters to me. And that clarity has compounding effects in my work, making it more focused and meaningful.

Waiting years for institutional permission to pause is one model. Designing smaller, self-declared pauses in the meantime is another. So, as you look toward your next summer or winter break, consider taking a pseudosabbatical. You might be surprised by how much space this small, intentional pause opens up.