Paul Fleming is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Behavior & Health Equity at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. He partners with community based organizations to work on projects that help identify the root causes of racial health inequities and how to address pressing health issues. He is a father of three and his new book is titled Imagine Doing Better: Why policies backfire and how prevention thinking can change everything.

In this live coaching session, we discuss: -Balancing multiple priorities during sabbatical -Creating a structure for sabbatical that allows time for writing and creating as well as more focused connection with family -How identifying a vibe you want for your sabbatical can help support the planning process -Being intentional about our habits and the ways they do (and do not) support our personal and professional priorities

I think you’ll find a lot in here that will help you think about your own sabbatical. I hope you enjoy the episode!

If you'd like to talk more about your sabbatical and learn about how I can help, you can schedule a Free Consultation here.

My guest for this episode is Tom Mullett, a former UK record label manager turned passionate foreign language teacher. Tom took a sabbatical in South America in 2018 and never left. He developed a love for teaching English during sabbatical, so much so that in 2023 he designed his own accredited TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course, and now trains budding TEFL teachers from around the world.

In this episode we talk about what drove Tom to his sabbatical, how he found purpose during his sabbatical teaching English, and why he ended up staying in Colombia instead of going back to his previous life in the UK.

Even though Tom isn't an academic, there's a lot in this conversation that will resonate with academics. Tom's sabbatical gives us a firsthand view of the importance of knowing the purpose of your sabbatical and underscores the importance of developing the elements of your identity that are not connected to your work or career.

You can learn more about Tom's TEFL course here: https://precisiontefl.com/

If you’re wondering how to figure out what to prioritize during your sabbatical, click here to download my free Sabbatical Clarity Toolkit!

If you're planning a family sabbatical away from home, check out my Family Sabbatical Program. It's a step-by-step guide that will take you through all the steps you need to plan and prepare for your time away!

Jamie Lawler is a clinical and developmental psychologist with expertise in early life stress, self-regulation, and mental health interventions for children. She is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Eastern Michigan University. Jamie's research program is grounded in developmental psychopathology and focuses on the impact of early life stress on the socio-emotional development of children and on interventions to promote resilience.

Jamie was awarded her first post-tenure sabbatical and decided to apply for a Fulbright to go to Greece, where she had made connections with a psychology department that was interested in her expertise. However, changes in her personal life and the ever-changing political climate in early 2025 made her increasingly less confident that she would be able to spend her sabbatical in Greece.

In this episode we discuss why she needs to pivot her plan and how she can make the most of a sabbatical at home that she wasn't planning to take.

For more about having a transformative stay-battical, check out this blog post: https://bethanywilinski.com/cultivating-new-rhythms-during-a-stay-battical/

If you need to re-think your sabbatical plan, I'd love to support you. Click here to schedule a free consultation.