Sabbaticals

It's that time of year again...my government "suggested" sabbatical. I may be just a writer, but 8-10 hours of my day is writing for a bank.

The question arrises every year in my head: what is a sabbatical for a writer or a photographer, when what we do is a daily compulsion?

The answer, I think, is not to stop writing or photographing, but step away from it the buzz of normality. Get quiet. Create and think deeply, but not necessarily for the public.

There may be a newsletter this week, but probably not for a few weeks after. I'm forcing myself into quietness.

If you're thinking of taking some time off yourself, but feel guilty about it like I do, here's a little inspiration:

"Why do you think that great leaders and thinkers throughout history have gone out into the wilderness and come back with inspiration, with a plan, with an experience that puts them on a course that changes the world? It's because in doing so they found perspective. They understood the larger picture in a way that wasn't possible in the bustle of everyday life. Silencing the noise around them, they could finally hear the quiet voice they needed to listen to." - Ryan Holiday in "Ego is the Enemy"

"This idea initially scared me because it sounded so unproductive. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it would work to my benefit. Not only would it prevent burnout (which I believe was inevitable at my usual pace), but also result in nearly the same amount of productivity. The remaining weeks would be all the more fruitful because of the much-needed clarity I would attain from the break." - Sean McCabe