Give Me a Minute to Think: The Value of a Month Off
“Relaxing brings weakness, when done by a muscle; but brings strength, when done by a person.”
― Mokokoma Mokhonoana
Frustrated, stressed out, working long hours? Maybe even thinking, “This is not why I became a physician. Maybe I would like to do something different but what?”
Physician clients often come to us for help in considering a change in their careers or steps toward retirement. Although they come to us for legal advice, when their vision is not clear about what they really want to do, sometimes we say, “Why don’t you take a month off and think about it?” To which the immediate response is “What?” Because a physician who has been working constantly, long days and long hours for years, cannot fathom taking extended time off. Yet, the same physician has accrued more than a month’s worth of vacation time and with some planning and direction, could easily take the time – a personal sabbatical of sorts. We decided to further explore the idea of taking (at least) a month off from work.
David Banayan, MD, psychiatrist at Rush University says, “There are many reasons people take vacation as well reasons one might be reticent. These include:
- A change in how others will see you, such as coworkers or your boss; perception of being “unproductive;”
- Perceived financial implications;
- Impact on maintaining health insurance and other benefits;
- “FOMO” – fear of missing out, such as pursuing a promotion or another work-related accolade;
- Anxiety of not working – it is all you know;
- Addressing potential personal as well as work issues that you have avoided;
- Being driven, and goal-oriented. This has gotten you this far in your career – you don’t know how to take a month-long vacation;
- Apprehension of what one might discover about yourself;
- Letting down or burdening colleagues;
- Not having a plan for the time off. Some people flounder when their routine is disrupted and work is the major force demanding routine and organization.
Dr. Banayan further adds, “Recognizing why you are reluctant is the first step in overcoming your hesitancy. For physicians, the pandemic did not offer the work from home option, so how does one “evaluate” your situation? Taking a month off provides time and focus on self-reflection which in turn gives clarity on your life and career.”
From a legal perspective, following are some points to consider regarding HOW to arrange a month off especially if you are employed and subject to employer policies:
- Vacation time is a benefit. Your Human Resources Department and/or Employee Handbook (or policy) should be consulted to see how you access time off;
- Vacation time is not a “leave of absence.” A leave of absence is treated differently than vacation pursuant to medical staff bylaws and the two should not be confused. Consult your Medical Staff Bylaws.
- Your Employment Agreement may govern the amount of vacation or personal time off (PTO) you can take per year.
Finally, if you do not know where you are going, any road will take you there. Planning your time off is as important as considering the legal aspects. What questions do you want to answer? What do you want to accomplish in your career? Do you want to start a new business? What does this mean? What will you need to do to begin? Capital, expertise, marketing? Are you contemplating a merger with another practice? What would that look like for you? Or maybe even a totally new career direction such as entering into the corporate world? You may want to consider a facilitator to help guide your time with a strategic framework. This could be a strategic planner, executive coach or a combination (see our Resources Page).
By being strategic in looking at your next steps, you can create a plan that builds the road to where you want to go. You will return to your job refreshed and with a new direction. We are here to assist with what you may need, presuming we are not off taking our own advice!
For further information contact us.