Survey sez: 

77%.  When asked what they found difficult about taking time off from work for vacation, percentage of full-time employed adults who said it was their first day back after vacation. 

44%.  Percentage who found the last day in the office before vacation to be difficult.   Source:  Randstad-USA

The stats and stories about unused vacation time in the USA are sad and startling.  But these numbers provide a glimpse into the working lives of the poor stiffs who find taking time off to be “difficult.” 

Of course, that day before and after breaking away can be a challenge.  But don’t most worthwhile pursuits in life come with a cost?  Heck, even vedging in front of the TV requires some electronics, cable or satellite, cold beer and fresh chips! 

Since enjoying hard-earned vacation time can be so challenging, BreakAways make even more sense.  After all, the workday before and after escaping for a month or six probably isn’t any more “difficult” than when you take a week off. 

And for sure the payoff is much, much bigger!  

Where can you find pleasure

Search the world for treasure

Learn science technology

Where can you begin to make your dreams all come true

On the land or on the sea

Where can you learn to fly

Play in sports and skin dive

Study oceanography

Sign of for the big band

Or sit in the grandstand

When your team and others meet

–From “In the Navy” by the Village People

“I’d rather be at work doing nothing than sitting at home spending money.” 

More than 80% of KPMG’s UK partners have applied to work a four day week or take a sabbatical after the Big Four firm announced a scheme last week aimed at avoiding redundancies.The voluntary scheme, announced last week, is one of the first of its kind by a big accounting firm. Eight other countries within the KPMG group are thought to be considering similar schemes.
       

GM also has the same idea, as reported last month and blogged about by yours truly right here.

First off, kudos to KPMG.  Second, let’s hope the partners taking their variation of a BreakAway will find ways to fight the stress of uncertainty and instead embrace the unexpected gift of free time. 

• After all, it sure beats getting fired.  

And for those ready for a change of pace, here’s your chance.  A chance to clean out the clutter.  Take a trip to see the relatives.  Learn to paint or do Pilates or play piano.

So I’m sitting in my beauty parlour, awaiting my ‘poo and trim and manicure…oh never mind.  (I wish!  But who has time!?!)

Actually, while creating this website, we learned today this site shows up second when you Google BreakAway.  Yowza!  And we haven’t even finished or launched!

I may never be a blogstar, but I’m a Google star.  As Grandma always said,

“Hey, that’s better than a kick in the pants!”

The first item on the list indeed belonged to Elle–and it was all about breaking up, I guess.  (Hard to do.)  But low & behold, another Elle link takes you to a “Break Away” sabbatical story.  Have we created a love-in?  Or are we only flirting?  (There are many Elle stories about THAT too, of course.)

Anyway, once again, the secret to getting your employer to acquiesce to your BreakAway is to be a kick-butt employee.  As Garrison Keillor always states at the end of The Writer’s Almanac, “Do Good Work!”

Barbara Moses, author of Dish: Midlife Women Tell the Truth About Work, Relationships and the Rest of Life, offers these additional thoughts:

“It’s much easier to get a sabbatical if you’re good at your job than if you’re a mediocre performer;”

“Recommend someone for your position or advise on how your job can be restructured;”

“Show appreciation for your job and company;”

“Demonstrate what your company will get out of giving you a sabbatical;”

“Convince your employer that you can be a great role model of work/life balance and that you’ll come back rejuvenated.”

Thanks, Elle. I’d go talk to my boss–if only I had one.

Now, about those new flirting tips…

Read it and reap. Or weep. But read it, and realize (if nothing else) that there are a few BreakAway Brethren out there. There are even gracious employers out there using the downturn as an excuse not to downsize, but offer Sabbaticals!   Sign me up!

We shall change the world! One blogpost, one BreakAway, one bobbing head at a time!

Check it out! This guru and travel agent for the BreakAway-bound is offering discounts to those who lost their jobs! He’s talking with HR departments to help tend to the soon-jobless.

He’s preaching the virtues of “newfound freedom” when unemployment strikes. He’s swimming against current panic and making money doing it.

Gotta love this guy—AND the amazing trips he offers!

Have a game plan. For any game worth playing. This “Shifting Careers” column offers a spot-on Sabbatical story well worth studying.

Barbara Raab brings a perspective that this Breakaway boy may lack: What it’s like to tell The Boss (and your workplace team) you want time off and make sure their needs are met—all without getting canned or kicked in the can. Ms. Raab has it “easy” in a way we self-employeds envy, though: She’ll return to a job and benefits.

That sounds pretty good about now. Last time 2 Heads shut shop to run away, we left when business was booming (the dot-com melt-up). But we came back to see billings cut in half for two years (the dot-com blow-up). If that happens again, Boy Genius here may lose money AND faith.

Let’s have a make-believe, virtual conversation with Ms. Raab…

“A short walk that nonetheless feels far away.”

That proves that, even if you stay in the ‘hood, everything changes. My personal preference, as written up in the Sabbatical Suggestions, is to seek new sights—as in, leave the country, if possible. That guarantees new perspectives. But her approach is appropriate for her Mission.

“Updating my own skills.”

Amen to that. It’s nearly impossible to keep up with trades and technology any more. She’ll make quantum leaps and return a more savvy employee. In my world, this Hiatus includes confronting my technophobic ways with 2 new cameras, many new puter programs, an i-Touch, and this here website.

“Figure out if you can afford it.”

She can—mostly because she proudly stays out of debt and chooses a simple-enough lifestyle. Agreed, as illustrated in the “11 Commandments of Fiscal Fitness.”  That said, I also believe there are many times throughout life when it’s best to break out this five-word mantra: “It’s not a financial decision.”

“Offer solutions.”

Brilliant. Vital in the workplace. But if you’re flying off, you may also need to anticipate issues and provide solutions for residence, schools, yard, pets, relatives, organizations, and of course, your bowling team.

“And, oh yeah, somehow get my own radio show.”

Really? Get out!?! I thought I was the only cat around here with that dream! Tell ya what, Barbara, whoever gets there first has the other on as a guest asap. Okay? Cool!

BlogStar Seth Godin today writes about the need to attract—and retain—top talent. As he puts it,

“It only takes 10% as much effort to hire someone in the bottom 90% of the class. And it takes the other 90% to find and cajole and retain the top 10%.”

Don’t mean to repeat myself—or to beat a dead Horsted—but once you get those four-star performers, and they stay and keep giving moremoremore, give them a BreakAway now and then. If there is a better way (beyond mere pay) to keep key people, please tell me all about it.

My 2-person corporation would love to know. After all, we constantly seek ways to prevent an exodus of crucial, if crotchety, stakeholders.