Last Updated on August 18, 2026 by Bethany Wilinski
How to make the most of a sabbatical that isn’t going as planned
Sabbaticals are ideally a time of intellectual and personal renewal. You step away from the daily grind of teaching, service, and administrative duties with the hope of making progress on a big project, charting the next phase of your career, and taking little more time for yourself.
But what happens when things don’t go as planned? Maybe the research isn’t panning out, a collaboration fell through, your research grants evaporated, personal life intervened, or you find yourself struggling to accomplish your sabbatical goals. A sabbatical that once felt like an amazing opportunity can suddenly feel like a wasted opportunity. If this has happened to your sabbatical, you’re not alone. Sabbaticals experience change and interruption all the time. But just because your sabbatical isn’t going as planned doesn’t mean you should give up on it. The steps below will help you create a new plan that allows you to make the most of your sabbatical.
First, Acknowledge the reality, give yourself grace, and let go of guilt
It’s important to recognize that unexpected setbacks happen and give yourself some grace. There are so many things beyond your control that can derail your sabbatical, from not being able to gain access to a research site to a health issue. Sometimes, it’s just the realization that you’re more burned out than you thought you were. Instead of dwelling on what should have happened, allow yourself to reframe your expectations and create the sabbatical that is possible, given your current circumstances. Allow yourself to grieve the sabbatical you wanted and anticipated, but then focus on taking action and reshaping your sabbatical.
Next, revisit and revise your goals
If things aren’t going as planned during your sabbatical, it’s not helpful to keep pushing forward with your original goals and expectations. Doing this will just leave you feeling stressed, disappointment, and with a lot of sabbatical regret.
Instead, you need to re-think your goals and set new, realistic ones, that align with the sabbatical you have, not the one you had hoped for.
Here are a few strategies for reflecting on your goals and considering how you might revise them.
If your research isn’t going as planned, or you’ve realized you can’t possibly get everything done, ask yourself:
Is what I’ve already accomplished enough for this sabbatical?
Can I pivot to another aspect of my research?
Is there a smaller, more manageable piece I can complete?
If you’re making progress on projects, but still feeling exhausted and overworked, ask yourself:
If I could only work on one thing for the rest of my sabbatical, what would it be? This is your top priority!
What can I take off my plate right now? What boundaries do I need to put in place? (e.g. check email less, meet with students less)
Which projects can wait until I get back from sabbatical?
In my experience, it’s much harder to take things off your plate than to add new things to it, but I encourage you to really give this a try. It’s much better to adjust and do a little less or something different than what you originally planned for your sabbatical than to feel overwhelmed by guilt and regret.
Finally, create a Realistic Plan for the Remainder of Your Sabbatical
Even if things haven’t gone well so far, your sabbatical is not wasted. After revisiting your goals, choose 1-2 top priorities that you will focus on during the time you have left. It could be finishing an article, preparing a conference presentation, or reading a few more articles in a new area.
As you create your new plan, also consider your need for rest and build in time for rest or personal pursuits that bring you joy. Even if your sabbatical is less productive than you had imagined, you’ll be in a better position to make an impact on your field, institution, and students if you feel energized about your work.
If you’re on sabbatical and it’s gone sideways, check out my program, Sabbatical Rescue! Through a combination of activities you complete on your own and one-on-one coaching sessions, this intensive program will help you get your sabbatical back on track in two weeks or less!