There's a notion now in widespread bloom that may not seem so new to us houseboaters: "getting away from it all" isn't just about a vacation. It's a sabbatical for the soul.
This societal trend that emphasizes a more casual stress-free lifestyle is currently on the rise in North America according to book author Cathy Osborne. A quick trip to the local newsstand or bookstore reveals numerous articles and books advocating: slowing down, living more simply and taking stock of your life, says Osborne. "But what if you don't want to slow down? What if you just want something different? Not a different job or company, but instead a real break or pause from your everyday life-a sabbatical," says author Cathy Osborne. In her new audio book, Get a Life!: The Essential Guide to Taking Time Off to Fulfill Your Dreams, Osborne considers the benefits of taking sabbaticals rather than vacations.
Stop Taking Vacations - Start Taking Sabbaticals
Osborne defines a sabbatical as a block of time off lasting more than four weeks. "Most people love the idea of taking time off, but don't know how to find the money, get the `Boss' to say yes, or even believe it's possible," says Osborne.
"Get a Life, may not be the kind of book advertisers and marketers like," says Osborne. "The book encourages people to save and spend strategically. To wake up to the fact that things - a new car, brand name clothes, a cell phone with the latest bells and whistles, or a `perfectly' decorated home - won't deliver the satisfaction and enhanced lifestyle over the long term that the ads promised."
Get a Life includes numerous tools to help people take time off including the Sabbatical Seeker's Secret Weapons, powerful tools that one listener said made her realize that she is taking her husband and two young children on sabbatical for a year in five years - she's planning on getting a life.
According to Osborne, the most frequent reason people say they can't take time off, is money. "They believe they don't have enough money, but in most cases they do. They just chose to spend their money on other things because they don't realize how easy it can be to make their dream come true. People can start making changes this holiday season to support their desire to get a life," says Osborne. "They just need to choose to ignore the advertising frenzy, decide what they really want for themselves and their family, and then take steps to make it happen."
This year, the author and her husband decided not to exchange Christmas gifts. Instead, they are putting the money saved towards their fourth sabbatical scheduled for 2006.
Interesting Sabbatical Facts
68 percent of the respondents use their time off to travel and see the world
Most sabbaticals (42 percent) are one to three months in length
76 percent of people take less than one year off for their career break
You don't have to be wealthy to take time off. Forty-nine percent of Sabbatical Seekers spend under $5,000 on sabbatical
About Cathy Osborne
Cathy Osborne is living her dream life as a world traveler, avid sailor, and professional speaker. She knows first hand what it takes to stop wishing and start doing! She has taken three career breaks, including two around the world trips, traveled to twenty-eight countries on five continents, and is planning her biggest break yet-two years to sail the Caribbean.
For more information, please contact:
Cathy Osborne, Business By Design Solutions
Day: (604) 469-4040
Evening: (604) 469-1320
www.cathyosborne.com