Sabbatical Proposal Purposes

The Purpose & Benefits section of your sabbatical proposal needs to be persuasive. Find the heading which best matches your plans. Adapt its copy for your first paragraph, the “Purpose.”

Keep that first paragraph brief.

Save the specifics for your discussions with your manager. That's also the best time to show your enthusiasm about the opportunity. Passion is persuasive, too.

Volunteer Vacation

Your sabbatical proposal purpose is related to the people or cause being served, so put that first; the place (i.e., your travel destination) is secondary.

“I have an opportunity to help some of the abandoned children who live in the streets and sewer systems of Ukraine. I plan to work with a team who is renovating a building in Kiev to serve as a shelter.”

“I have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help save an endangered species from extinction through volunteer work as a guide and a clerk at The China Giant Panda Conservation Project.”

Short-term Missions Trip

As with many volunteer vacations, your sabbatical purpose also relates to helping people. The Great Commission is your ultimate purpose, but because it's often not understood and embraced by your manager and coworkers, focus on the people being served for the cause of Christ.

“I have an opportunity to help underprivileged families in Guatemala. I plan to work with a community outreach team in health care and feeding programs.”

“I have an opportunity to teach English and life skills to young girls from the northern tribes of Thailand who have been rescued from child prostitution.”

Learning Vacation

This category is easier, especially if you can link the learning to your job. But don't label it a “vacation.”

“I have an opportunity to attend Spanish language school in Costa Rica while exploring the culture of the country. The exposure and new learning will be useful upon my return as I work with a diverse employee and client [customer] base.”

Does your company support employee education with tuition reimbursement or professional development training? If the link between your learning and your job is tight enough, you might even get your employer to help pay some of your expenses. What could be better?

In many cases, there won't be a clear work-sabbatical link. For example, what if you're going on a culinary tour of Chile or China (and you're not a chef?), or a wildlife nature photography safari in Alaska or Africa? Blend the first and second paragraphs under Purpose & Benefits.

“I have an opportunity to experience new learning in a new culture [setting] which will recharge my creative thinking and renew my energy, bringing a fresh level of productivity [and engagement] to my role in the [name] department [workgroup] at [employer name].”

Adventure Travel

An extended adventure trip can be an especially invigorating challenge. But pitching your sabbatical proposal can be another type of challenge.

“I have an opportunity to challenge myself physically and stretch mentally with plans to [go rock climbing in Brazil, hike the Appalachian Trail, run the rapids in Colorado, go trekking in Nepal, work on a dude ranch, explore the jungles of Borneo, or whatever your fancy].”

Hmmmm. Could you add a volunteer or learning segment to your adventure plans? The combination could not only enhance your sabbatical trip, but also your opening paragraph under Purpose & Benefits. Adapt and combine the language above to strengthen your opening “Purpose” paragraph.

Cultural Travel

Maybe your plans for six weeks off don't involve service or a structured learning activity; you just want to immerse yourself in a foreign country. In that case, you might position your sabbatical in broader learning terms.

“I have an opportunity for cultural immersion, learning about the daily lives and language of the people of [place].”

If it sounds too much like a fun vacation, refer to suggested approach found in Leisure Travel, below.

Leisure Travel

If you're a boomer bordering on burn-out, maybe a structured sabbatical is not what you're after. You just want to head to a resort or retreat setting for several weeks to relax, read, and rediscover your interests.

So is there a persuasive purpose to be found in a sabbatical leave focused on leisure? Yes — but it can be a tough sell with your manager.

Depending on how you think your sabbatical proposal will be received, you may want to be vague about your plans. Focus on the renewal benefits instead, blending the first two paragraphs of the Purpose & Benefits section of your sabbatical proposal.

“I have plans to be in an unstructured environment for several weeks which will recharge my creative thinking and renew my energy, bringing a fresh level of productivity [and engagement] to my role in the [name] department [workgroup] at [employer name].”

Take Your Time to Get It Right

Your sabbatical proposal is an important piece of the negotiation process. I've given you a head start, but spend time editing to match what you know about how your manager receives new ideas.

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