PTO: Planning for Your Sabbatical

All full-time employees of The Austin Stone are encouraged to take an extended leave of absence for rest and renewal in the form of sabbatical. It is a release from the routine of the call for the physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual well-being of the employee. Taken from Old Testament examples of work with intentional rest from work, sabbatical is a season of Sabbath for prolonged rest. Sabbaticals are meant to be a blessing to our people, intentionally acknowledging our limitations and encouraging time for rest and rejuvenation in the Lord. 


In order for someone to effectively enter into and enjoy the fruits of this season of prolonged rest, intentional preparation is a must. The following considerations and the accompanying resources are suggested to help you create an intentional plan to get the most out of your sabbatical. These principles and tools have been used by some of our staff members and have proven helpful, so we wanted to make them available to you. 

What to do BEFORE your sabbatical?

  • Create your Sabbatical Plan by using THIS PLANNING GUIDE and reading through the SABBATICAL FAQs.
  • Communicate your Sabbatical Plan to those that need to know including:
    1. Team Members
    2. Other Staff Members you work closely with
    3. Congregation Leaders and Partners

What to do DURING your sabbatical?

  • Work through your Sabbatical Plan to rest, reflect, and connect with the Lord and others.
    • Keep in mind that having a plan is always helpful BUT it’s never perfect and things may change due to unforeseen circumstances. The intention of having a plan is not to bind you to anything that can’t change but rather to give you direction to get the most out of your sabbatical. 
    • Remember: we have a Live SABBATICAL FAQ document where you can find helpful tips for how to approach your sabbatical and allows you to pose any questions you have.

What to do AFTER your sabbatical?

  • When you return from sabbatical, we encourage you to meet with your supervisor to reflect on your sabbatical and set appropriate goals for the next 30 days to transition back to work well. 

If you have further questions about your sabbatical and how to best utilize it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the HR team or your supervisor.

Related Articles