This TED Talk by designer Stefan Sagmeister is a brilliant example of just how powerful letting go can be. Every 7 years he takes one year off from his New York studio to explore design ideas in other parts of the world.
The idea of taking a working sabbatical first came to him as a response to a problem. The problem being that their work as a design firm had begun to stagnate. So in order to regenerate his artistic spirit and his business, he came up with this plan.
By taking a year off, Sagmeister rediscovered his love of design. And upon returning to New York he also found that the genesis of his work for the next seven years originated in that year-long sabbatical. His “time off” also proved to be financially successful since the quality of their work as a firm improved overall.
I was forced into a similar situation last year in which I had to take a sabbatical from work in order to heal my fractured foot. In this past year, I’ve been working on different projects and creating freely, just trusting that it would pay off.
Ironically, this May not only marks the end of my year-long sabbatical but it also marks the launch of a new business that a dear friend and I founded in January. A venture I’ve poured my heart and soul into and indeed, got me back in touch with my artistic spirit on a whole new level.
Proof, from yours truly, that letting go and following your heart WORKS!
So I think it’s vital that we allow ourselves time off, not only to renew our artistic spirits but our lives as a whole. Our bodies regenerate completely every seven years so it only makes sense that we revive our artistic selves on the same time schedule as well.
And maybe we all can’t take a whole year off, but we can take vacations without feeling guilty. We can make use of our off-time to do things that feed our soul. We can be inspired by people like Sagmeister and understand that letting go can be just as powerful as charging ahead in our lives.
So what’re your thoughts on this idea? Ever taken a sabbatical? How did it change your life? Do you ever feel guilty taking time off? How do you revive your artistic spirit?
Ingrid Schaffenburg's Blog 
I think it’s a great idea. Would love to do it.
Right!? I love his philosophy.
Funny, I am taking a mini-sabbatical from my WIP. I still love it, I still have ideas, but I was starting to feel like I was forcing myself artistically, rather than letting it flow.
I’ve switched my creative efforts over to a fictional series on my blog (started a month ago). The creative outlet has been fun, the response totally uplifting, and guess what? I am completely excited to get back to work on my WIP.
I love the idea of taking a break in some way to give ourselves the opportunity to “regenerate”.
Lovely post!
Thanks Amber! That’s great you took a break and found a different way to create with your fiction. So refreshing right?! It’s vital that we take those breaks. It brings us back to the love 🙂
I also think it’s a great idea. I try and take my weekends off, only writing in the early morning hours and leaving the rest of the day for reading, relaxation, and family. It works wonders. I can rest assure even if I don’t get to my writing that morning, I can return to it on Monday, sometimes with the very idea I needed to solve the problem.
Yep! Funny how that happens isn’t it 😉
A year off? Now you’re talking. Of course the nice mortgage people wouldn’t be so impressed 🙂
I think he’s right that we need time to recover and let out creative sides wander. Until I moved to FW I’d always moved and changed jobs every 6 years. A change is as good as a rest and I’d settle for either now.
Cheers!
Absolutely. Just shaking things up can rejuvenate us. Maybe if you asked the mortgage people really, really nicely they’d give you a break 🙂
I absolutely love this idea. Just need to get around the kid issue. Who will watch them for a year? Oh, wait. You didn’t mean a year off from the mommy gig, did you? LOL
The hardest job on the planet and no break for 18 years. Doesn’t that violate some sort of labor law?! LOL! Yeah… clearly Sagmeister is a singleton 😉
Once again, you’ve written a post that speaks directly to my heart. I’ve been feeling burned out and a little bored. I even whined about it on my blog: http://meredith-morgan.blogspot.com/2012/04/do-you-want-some-cheese-with-that-whine.html
I’ve been writing hard and fast for — OMG — seven years, with only brief breaks. Maybe I need a sabbatical to think about what other fabulous things I might be able to accomplish. (And then maybe, someday, I can write about that.)
I think you are my Oracle.
Awww… thanks 🙂
Oh my gosh girl! Just read your post. 3 or 4 novels a year?! Yeah. You certainly deserve and need a break. You can hear it in your voice. Hopefully this video will encourage you to take that bold step. And regardless of the what you find, at the end of your year-long sabbatical you can always write about your experience. It’s a win-win. Kinda like that Happiness Project. Seek what it is you want to find and write about your journey later. Just an idea.