When I decided to take a career break, I knew that I wanted to spend my time travelling the world, learning about other cultures and chatting to locals (however hyper, as you can see in the picture). But, I do realise that some people are not be sure how to spend their career break/sabbatical, so here are some exciting ideas to inspire you:-

Career Break and Sabbatical Ideas:
Here are some ways that you could spend your career break or sabbatical:
Get involved in a wildlife conservation project.
Volunteer in disaster relief.
Learn to surf, sail or dive.
Assist with scientific research.
Take an internship in an area of interest.
Lead a hiking expedition.
Volunteer on sport projects.
Volunteer in an animal rescue centre.
Learn sign language.
Teach English abroad.
Qualify as a ski or diving instructor.
Join a community project.
Volunteer as a medic.
Learn a musical instrument.
Act as a business consultant in India.
Improve photography skills.
Volunteer in an orphanage.
Travel the world.
Do paid work abroad.
Camper van around Europe.
Stay at home and raise children.
Move to a new country and learn the language.
Take a writing course.
Volunteering in education.
Or why not set yourself a challenge on your career break?
You could spend your career break or sabbatical visiting all of the "forgotten wonders":
Abu Simbel Temple, Egypt
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
The Aztec Temple, Mexico City
The Banaue Rice Terraces, Philippines
Borobudur Temple, Java, Indonesia
The Colosseum, Rome Italy
The Great Wall, China
The Inca City of Machu Picchu, Peru
The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy
Mayan Temples of Tikal, Guatemala
Moai Temples in Rapa Nui, Easter Island
Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy, France
The Throne Hall of Persepolis, Iran
The Parthenon, Athens, Greece
Petra, Jordan
The Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar
Stonehenge, England
Taj Mahal in Agra, India
The Temple of the the Inscriptions, Palenque Mexico
What to do on a career break?
Career breaks and sabbaticals can be extremely varied, and ultimately it is your decision what you want to do with your time. You need to think about how your career break/sabbatical can improve your personal and professional life while allowing you to follow your passion. Depending on how long you are taking off from work and your budget, you could even do a combinations of things.
I hope these career break/sabbatical ideas have inspired you and that you find your perfect way to spend your time off and more importantly that you have fun!!!
Want to read more?
- How I took a career break and had the best year of my life
- Top 10 tips to have a great career break
- The difference between career breaks and sabbaticals
- Guide to taking a sabbatical
- How to organise a career break
- How to save for a career break
- Guide to Teaching abroad with TEFL
- Helpful websites when organising a career break
