It’s hard to focus on wellbeing when we’re expected to work nonstop until retirement. Taking a break from time to time should be a given, not a privilege.

Dr. Laurie works in one of the few industries that recognizes the importance of extended time off. As she begins her own year-long sabbatical from Yale, we’re revisiting her conversation with DJ DiDonna, author of Big Time Off, about what can happen when we step away from work for more than just a vacation.

DJ breaks down how to manage the biggest barriers to taking a sabbatical, from money and workplace optics to family responsibilities. He also explains why extended time off can help us recover from burnout, rethink our routines, and experiment with different versions of ourselves.

Whether you’re contemplating months away or just fantasizing about turning off your email, this episode makes the case that sometimes the best way to move forward is to stop for a while.

Experts Mentioned:
DJ DiDonna, Senior Lecturer of Business Administration at Harvard Business School

Resources Mentioned:
Big Time Off: The Transformative Power of Sabbaticals and How to Take One, by DJ DiDonna (2026)
Recover, Explore, Practice: The Transformative Potential of Sabbaticals, by Kira Schabram, Matt Bloom, and DJ DiDonna (Academy of Management Discoveries, 2023)
 The Sabbatical Project

Related Episodes:
“You Can Change”
“Happiness Lessons of the Ancients: The Day of Rest”
“How to be Happier at Work (with Dan Harris)”
“Burnout and How to Avoid It”

It&rsquo;s hard to focus on wellbeing when we&rsquo;re expected to work nonstop until retirement. Taking a break from time to time should be a given, not a privilege.
Dr. Laurie works in one of the few industries that recognizes the importance of extended time off. As she begins her own year-long sabbatical from Yale, we&rsquo;re revisiting her conversation with DJ DiDonna, author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1668060892?lv=shuf&amp;hvlocphy=9004400&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;mcid=&amp;hvext=374045105006&amp;hvadid=812900695866&amp;language=en_US&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hydadcr=10514_13903615_2508665&amp;hvpos=&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvocijid=6488983478029249963--&amp;hvqmt=a&amp;hvexpln=0&amp;tag=smgglusdsadts-20&amp;hvtargid=kwl-2484167636399&amp;adgrpid=195298708937&amp;hvrand=6488983478029249963&amp;channelId=500&amp;ref_=&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback" data-airgap-id="11">Big Time Off</a>, about what can happen when we step away from work for more than just a vacation.
DJ breaks down how to manage the biggest barriers to taking a sabbatical, from money and workplace optics to family responsibilities. He also explains why extended time off can help us recover from burnout, rethink our routines, and experiment with different versions of ourselves.
Whether you&rsquo;re contemplating months away or just fantasizing about turning off your email, this episode makes the case that sometimes the best way to move forward is to stop for a while.
Experts Mentioned:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://djdidonna.com/" data-airgap-id="12">DJ DiDonna</a>, Senior Lecturer of Business Administration at Harvard Business School</li>
</ul>
Resources Mentioned:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1668060892?lv=shuf&amp;hvlocphy=9004400&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;mcid=&amp;hvext=374045105006&amp;hvadid=812900695866&amp;language=en_US&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hydadcr=10514_13903615_2508665&amp;hvpos=&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvocijid=6488983478029249963--&amp;hvqmt=a&amp;hvexpln=0&amp;tag=smgglusdsadts-20&amp;hvtargid=kwl-2484167636399&amp;adgrpid=195298708937&amp;hvrand=6488983478029249963&amp;channelId=500&amp;ref_=&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback" data-airgap-id="13">Big Time Off: The Transformative Power of Sabbaticals and How to Take One</a>, by DJ DiDonna (2026)</li>
<li><a href="https://journals.aom.org/doi/full/10.5465/amd.2021.0100" data-airgap-id="14">Recover, Explore, Practice: The Transformative Potential of Sabbaticals</a>, by <a href="https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/amd.2021.0100#" data-airgap-id="15">Kira Schabram</a>, <a href="https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/amd.2021.0100#" data-airgap-id="16">Matt Bloom</a>, and <a href="https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/amd.2021.0100#" data-airgap-id="17">DJ DiDonna</a> (Academy of Management Discoveries, 2023)</li>
<li>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thesabbaticalproject.org/" data-airgap-id="18">The Sabbatical Project</a></li>
</ul>
Related Episodes:
<ul>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/you-can-change" data-airgap-id="19">You Can Change</a>&rdquo;</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/happiness-lessons-of-the-ancients-the-day-of-rest" data-airgap-id="20">Happiness Lessons of the Ancients: The Day of Rest</a>&rdquo;</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/how-to-be-happier-at-work-with-dan-harris" data-airgap-id="21">How to be Happier at Work (with Dan Harris)</a>&rdquo;</li>
<li>&ldquo;<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/burnout-and-how-to-avoid-it" data-airgap-id="22">Burnout and How to Avoid It</a>&rdquo;</li>
</ul>

The Happiness Lab is serving up scientifically-backed takes this summer that are so hot, even your SPF 50 won’t protect you.

With the help of behavioral scientists, historians, and cultural critics, Yale psychologist Dr. Laurie Santos challenges some of our biggest assumptions about what it takes to live a good life. Dr. Laurie explores topics like why we should forget about TMI and lean into oversharing, how dumping small talk makes for better conversations, why the kids these days are actually doing just fine, and how men can establish strong bromances. Each episode unpacks a bold, counterintuitive claim — using research, data, and expert insight to question the conventional wisdom around happiness and wellbeing.

The Happiness Lab is serving up scientifically-backed takes this summer that are so hot, even your SPF 50 won&rsquo;t protect you.
With the help of behavioral scientists, historians, and cultural critics, Yale psychologist Dr. Laurie Santos challenges some of our biggest assumptions about what it takes to live a good life. Dr. Laurie explores topics like why we should forget about TMI and lean into oversharing, how dumping small talk makes for better conversations, why the kids these days are actually doing just fine, and how men can establish strong bromances. Each episode unpacks a bold, counterintuitive claim &mdash;&nbsp;using research, data, and expert insight to question the conventional wisdom around happiness and wellbeing.

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

The Life-Changing Power of a Sabbatical

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b7c0058c-d25d-4ba5-936b-b4a6013ff981/transcript