We introduced trbo Charging Days last year to give our employees a better work-life balance. Now, every two weeks, our employees only have a 4-day week. But that wasn’t enough! So we decided to offer sabbaticals.
Our Team Lead Client Success Management, Minea Hidic, was one of the first to take advantage of this new opportunity. Now she’s back to tell us all about her sabbatical.
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How long was your sabbatical?
My sabbatical was two months long. It started in May and ended in June, so I had a total of nine weeks off.
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Why did you decide to take a sabbatical?
When trbo gave everyone the opportunity to take a sabbatical, I quickly realized that I wanted to take advantage of it. In my short working life, I have had to learn how to plan my vacation days so that I can get enough rest on a regular basis. It’s really important to me to be able to balance my professional and personal life. Because I love and enjoy my work, it has always been difficult to plan vacations on time. Taking care of yourself and listening to your needs is not something you learn overnight. Still, I didn’t want to get to the point where a vacation was barely enough to fully recharge. So I made it a point to take regular breaks. Since then, I’ve been much happier and more balanced — both professionally and personally.
Since the introduction of trbo Charging Days and the possibility to take a sabbatical, I feel supported to do things that are good for me more consistently and more often. After almost four and a half years with trbo, I wanted to take the opportunity to really take a break. I was on sabbatical from May up to and including June, and during that time I was able to experience a number of things that had been on my wish list for a long time.
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How did you use your time? What did you do?
I flew to Barcelona for almost 2 months to study Spanish. With my partner and dog coming along for the adventure, I lived in a centrally located apartment for the entire time and was able to learn a lot about the Spanish mentality. Clocks tick differently in Spain. Resting time is a top priority. As a result, Spaniards are much more present at work and in their personal lives. From this perspective, Spain was the perfect choice for my sabbatical. It was everything I wanted for my own life: a balanced daily routine.
Of course, I didn’t just want to rest and relax, I also wanted to check off a few things on my bucket list. One of them was to learn Spanish. So I took private lessons in advance and continued to do so in Barcelona. I also attended a local language school, where I was able to learn the language much more intensively. I used my free time to walk my dog in the Parc de la Ciutadella or on the beach. I also explored the city, met new friends and just relaxed. After a few weeks, I noticed how much more balanced I was. I didn’t have to think about work or my responsibilities at home. I was in the here and now, which was a completely new experience for me. Still, towards the end of the sabbatical, I was very happy to go back to my usual daily routine. It showed me how happy I really am with my job and my life in Germany. So not only did the sabbatical help me to recharge my batteries, but it also made me realize that rest can help you appreciate things in life more. Now I start my workdays with renewed motivation! I look forward to seeing all the familiar faces and working as part of the team on our customers’ personalization strategies.
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Do you have a tip or two for anyone who might be thinking about taking a sabbatical?
Even though I took a big trip as part of my sabbatical, I would encourage anyone who can’t or doesn’t want to do that for whatever reasons to still take the opportunity to take a longer break. It’s not about where you go, it’s about focusing a little more on yourself. My tip for everyone would be to think about what is really good for you that is missing in your everyday life.
Do you have any goals or dreams you haven’t had the chance to chase yet? Would you like to learn an instrument, take a language course, visit a good friend you haven’t seen in a while, try a new hobby, or take a short trip? Early planning will help you to fill your time wisely and decide which months you want to take off.
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