Some moments in life give you the opportunity to pause, reset, and gain new perspective. For me, August was one of those moments. I took (or should I say received the possibility to take) a sabbatical month, and looking back, I feel grateful, recharged, and surprisingly inspired by the experience.
What I did
When I made plans to use August for my sabbatical, I promised myself one thing: no rigid plan. Well, that failed. I booked a family holiday for the first two weeks, then a father/son holiday for a week, and for the final week a week for myself in a cabin in Zeeland, The Netherlands.
Some highlights:
Spotted dolphins on a catamaran off the coast of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the south west part
Experienced the loudest, strongest thunderstorm in a tent
The car did not break down
Finished another ADHD book
Visited San-Sebastian and Biarritz
Driven on an outdoor kart circuit with my son
Went rollercoastering with my son in Phantasialand, Germany
Absolutely enjoyed the cabin in Zeeland. I hiked, slept, read, enjoyed food and slept. And did I say I slept?
Experiences and lessons learned
What stood out most was how much mental space opened up when I stepped away from my regular routines. The constant hum of tasks and deadlines faded, and I started noticing other things again. Also using less screen time, which was exchanged by being outside, either with my family or just by myself.
A few lessons that surfaced:
Rest is productive. Taking a break isn’t wasted time, it’s an investment in clarity and energy.
Structure still matters. Even without work, I noticed I function better with some rhythm to my days. This is also a result of my diagnosed ADHD, I use structure to make sure I tick things off, and I still used that strategy during my sabbatical.
Disconnection helps you reconnect. Less time online gave me more meaningful conversations and real focus on the activity I was doing.
Most of all, I learned that a sabbatical can be a lot more than that just holiday. This one though, was everything but that. I needed this and I planned it like this. And that’s OK.
What I would do differently next time
As good as it was, there are definitely things I’d adjust if I do this again.
Don’t plan the whole sabbatical for family vacation, don’t forget yourself.
Set clearer boundaries with screens. I wasn’t always as offline as I wanted to be.
None of these are regrets, just notes for a next time.
Grateful for Kinsta
One thing I don’t take for granted is that I was able to do this in the first place. At Kinsta, I’m part of a team and a company culture that values people as much as performance. Taking a sabbatical felt fully supported, and I know not everyone has that privilege.
I’m deeply thankful to my colleagues for making it possible and for holding things down while I was away. That support gave me the freedom to truly unplug.
Looking ahead
Now that I’m back (and still have 1.5 days left), I feel energized about what’s ahead. Sabbaticals aren’t about escaping work, they’re about returning with a renewed sense of purpose. If you ever get the chance to take one, do it.
You might be surprised by what you learn when you give yourself permission to pause.
Photo by Roberto Sorin
