Last spring I departed my organization following a restructure that decentralized my department into other areas of the company. I didn’t disagree with the decision, and while I knew I’d miss my team and the relationships I’d built, it was “on to the next adventure”. I jumped into my job search with wholehearted vigor.

But I was mentally exhausted and didn’t realize it. Luckily for me, I have mentors and friends who did. I had spent the last fifteen years working on challenger brands in evolving environments with multiple leadership changes. Candidly, I love this. But it was clear, at least to others, that I needed a break. I’d also been handling an eldercare situation solo for the past ten years which simply added to the stress in my life, but I didn’t realize that either. My mentors gently prodded me into taking time away from the corporate world and a job search. Other colleagues were supportive, but many gave me the side eye silently wondering what I was thinking! I get it, because I was partly thinking the same thing.

I realize not everyone can take almost a year off. But what I learned early on is even two weeks after I changed my focus, I felt better physically and mentally. There definitely was a lot of sleeping involved in those first two weeks! The idea that you can give yourself permission to rest and possibly to explore other areas that you never make time to, is something I encourage everyone to consider. It was foreign to me. But I can say that you don’t need to take several months to reap the benefits.

You also need to put aside fear. The fear that you’ll fall off the radar screen of recruiters and hiring managers. All that will work itself out. And you’ll be in a much better place to take advantage of new opportunities on the other side of your sabbatical.

I’m not a big fan of “top ten” lists or “five easy steps to take” formats. This is simply my recap of what worked for me and what I learned. Not convinced? Here are a few things I learned along the way that might inspire you:

1. A sabbatical can expose you to new challenges that are not work related, that help you grow and heal. I chose three areas to delve into to make positive changes in my life: Philanthropy, Learning, and Personal Wellness.

Philanthropically, I elected to become more involved with an environmental non-profit where I’ve been on the board for five years, but never had the time to roll up my sleeves and dive in. Ok this was work, but giving back in any philanthropic environment is energizing and provides much more concrete, immediate feedback than many corporate arenas. You end the day knowing you’ve made a difference, if even in a small way. And the challenges are often completely different than what you are accustomed to in for-profit America.

I love to learn and am naturally inquisitive. In the corporate world this inquisitiveness can drive your peers and managers nuts as you constantly ask “why” in an effort to deliver the best possible outcome. Now with time on my side, I enrolled in several seminars, marketing roundtables, made a few presentations and podcasts. Also, I became a Certified Scrum Product Owner, after having served as an executive sponsor of several Agile teams in the past. Asking why and learning takes additional time, and that is not something that is often embraced in corporate culture. Making time to learn can be a foundation for innovation and growth both personally and professionally.

Improving my health and fitness seems like an obvious track for a sabbatical and I was committed to working on my golf game, biking the many trails near my home and eating a simpler, healthy diet. Gradually, these changes morphed into an openness to trying new wellness practices including Pilates and meditation – activities for which I previously did not have the patience. I’m not exactly an expert at either, but I find that I have better focus and dedication to stay the course.

These may not be the three areas that appeal to you as you embark on a sabbatical. That’s great! Figure out what will be meaningful to you and then go do it.

2. Positive changes made throughout the sabbatical have a way of forcing one to step back and analyze other forces at work in your life. First by slowing down. It’s a natural outcome of being on a sabbatical. You’re no longer at the mercy of the eight to ten (or more) hour day at your office and therefore can allot your time differently. Note: this happens gradually and not effortlessly. I think it took at least two months before I really felt myself slowing down, being calm about taking time off and paying greater attention to the world around me. Everyone will progress at their own pace. Slowing down improves so many things in your life – your relationships, your need to be in control, and your awareness of what’s going on around you. Importantly, it also allows you to regain focus on what’s important to you. For me, it rekindled how I engage regularly with my faith.

Throughout your sabbatical you’ll also find yourself connecting with people differently, interacting with them and actually hearing what they are saying, not thinking about what you want to convey next to them. This deepens and grows your relationships and your self-awareness as you learn from those around you. In addition, when you connect with others completely different from you, it engages your mind in new ways, expanding your world view and perspective.

One practice I identified that works for me when I need to slow things down, is to get out alone in nature. It can be a walk, on a bike or in a canoe. The enveloping silence that’s punctuated by the sounds of nature has a calming effect on our hearts and minds. Try it. Rain or shine, warm or snowy days, it works every time. The outcome of realizing what impacts your life helps refine what’s important to you, and where you want to spend your time. It’s an energizing part of the process.

Taking the time to analyze the other forces, both good ones and not so good, in your life, is a critical step to growth. Interactions with others, slowing your pace and taking time to reflect all contribute to this effort.

3. The serendipitous self analysis that naturally occurs during your sabbatical has a way of opening your mind to new possibilities and growth that make you a happier and more focused individual, setting you up for your next chapter. For some, that might take shape as new life goals, new professional goals or simply a renewed sense of excitement and energy. For others, it can simply be that you’ve expanded your circle of friends and colleagues or rediscovered a hobby that gives you joy. For me, I identified old habits that were holding me back, addressed them, and let them go. Or, at least, I am trying to!

In my first role out of college, I worked for a Fortune 25, global, CPG firm and credit that experience with building my professional foundation. It was there that my managers instilled in me the rigor of setting goals and consistently measuring progress against those goals at every turn and interaction. But over time, I took this behavior to an extreme. This constant analysis evolved over the years as I moved to other companies, into critical self-assessment. Even when I performed exceedingly well, I could find fault with one small thing I needed to improve. I never took the time to celebrate or acknowledge what I did that was excellent. That same critical self-assessment is what almost kept me from pursuing my sabbatical. How could I derail my career progress and long term goals by stepping out of the workforce for any length of time? Ironically, it was only during my sabbatical that the realization hit me that I was already derailed, and I needed the time away to get back on track.

Becoming open to new possibilities and personal growth are a natural outcome as you progress through a sabbatical. Recognizing behaviors that may be holding you back from this growth helps you to shift your point of view to one that allows you to take advantage of those new possibilities.

To summarize, the reasons for engaging in a sabbatical will be different for every individual. But each of us finds motivation in exposure to new challenges as we engage in actions we normally don’t make time for. These experiences lead to improved self-awareness as you begin to step back and analyze what’s important to you. And as you make your way through the sabbatical you find yourself applying your discoveries to all aspects of your life. It opens the mind to new possibilities, relationships and innovations. You may find ways to give back, participate in new ventures, travel or simply read a book or two you’ve had for a while.

This in turn opens new doors for your future endeavors, be that in your career or personal goals. Importantly, you emerge with a renewed sense of who you are and the energy to make things happen. Even if you can’t take the time I did, consider how you’ll spend this weekend, your next vacation, or your next career transition. And let me know how you did and what the impact was to you personally. Sharing your story is part of the process, and others will be inspired by you too. Good luck!