The Case for Sabbatical: Academia’s Most Underused Superpower

Emily L. Mailey, PhD, FSBM¹; Rebecca E. Lee, PhD, FSBM² - Physical Activity SIG

Every seven years or so, academia quietly offers one of its most powerful benefits: time. Not a long weekend, not a lighter teaching load, but a true sabbatical, a deliberate pause from routine obligations to think, learn, and create. In an era of accelerating demands on academic scientists and medical researchers, the sabbatical is not a luxury. It is the engine that keeps discovery and innovation alive. Despite its promise, sabbatical leave remains underused in many universities, often misunderstood as time away from work rather than a reconfiguration of it.^1,2 This misconception misses a larger truth that sabbaticals are not an individual indulgence. They are a collective investment that benefits institutions, students and trainees, and society. In this writing, we answer commonly asked questions about sabbatical.

Commonly asked questions about sabbatical

First, when is the right time to take a sabbatical? The conventional answer is obvious--when you are eligible--but the strategic answer is more nuanced. The most impactful sabbaticals tend to occur at inflection points, when a researcher is ready to pivot into a new area, deepen an existing line of inquiry, or build collaborations that would otherwise be impossible within the cadence of teaching and service. Waiting for the “perfect” moment often means never going at all.

If eligible, who should take a sabbatical? Not just senior faculty with established programs, and not only those feeling burned out, but early- and mid-career scholars may stand to gain the most. A sabbatical can accelerate a research trajectory, open doors to interdisciplinary work, and provide protected time needed to master new methods or even enter entirely new fields.^3,4 In this sense, sabbatical is less a reward for past productivity and more a catalyst for future impact.

Often, the question is: why take one? The answer is because modern academic life fragments attention. Teaching, mentoring, grant writing, publishing, administrative responsibilities, and clinical duties for some, leave little uninterrupted time for deep thinking. Sabbaticals restore that depth.¹ Faculty often report working as hard, or harder, during sabbatical, but on work that is more focused, creative, and transformative.⁵ They write the book that has been postponed for years, launch high-risk projects, or immerse themselves in new intellectual environments—often learning new processes, methodologies and languages. The result is not just renewed energy, but new knowledge that flows back into classrooms, labs, and communities.

Process and Policies

The process, while sometimes opaque, is usually reasonably navigable. A successful sabbatical proposal typically outlines clear goals, whether research, training, or collaboration, and demonstrates how the experience will benefit both the individual and the institution.⁶ Planning often includes coordination with departments to ensure teaching and service responsibilities are covered. Institutions that provide workshops, mentorship, and transparent guidelines make this process far more accessible.¹

Although teaching and service release is usually granted during a sabbatical, a common concern is how to manage research programs and graduate students during an absence. In practice, sabbaticals rarely mean disappearance. Faculty remain engaged through regular virtual meetings, co-authorship, and continued mentorship. In some cases, sabbaticals even expand opportunities for trainees, who gain access to new collaborators, institutions, and perspectives through their advisor’s networks. With thoughtful planning, a sabbatical becomes a shared experience rather than a disruption.

If the benefits are so clear, why do many faculty hesitate? Culture and perceived politics play a decisive role.¹ Faculty who have not taken sabbatical frequently cite concerns about burdening colleagues, disrupting teaching, or navigating administrative hurdles. However, those who have taken sabbatical consistently emphasize its value: time to think, freedom to explore, and the creation of new collaborations. Reduced burnout and enhanced well-being also contribute to personal and professional growth.^1,7

Departmental norms matter. In some units, sabbaticals are routine and encouraged; in others, they are rare, even quietly discouraged.⁴ Strong leadership can reduce these barriers, and frequent communication between faculty and leadership are key. When provosts, deans, and department heads actively promote sabbatical leave, highlight success stories, and integrate sabbatical planning into annual reviews, participation increases. Equally important is building departmental depth so that teaching and service responsibilities can be shared, and adopting a problem-solving mindset to address logistical challenges.¹

Of course, not all barriers can be fully eliminated. Financial constraints, especially for year-long leaves at partial pay, and family considerations may limit feasibility for some faculty. Acknowledging these realities is essential. But where obstacles can be reduced, or creative solutions can be employed (e.g., the “staybatical”), they should be.⁸

Ultimately, the sabbatical is not a pause in productivity. It is a recalibration of it. The discoveries that shape behavioral medicine and society rarely emerge from fragmented hours squeezed between Zoom meetings, manuscript reviews and grading responsibilities. Sabbaticals provide the opportunity for necessary sustained attention, intellectual risk, and the freedom to explore. In doing so, they renew not only the individual scholar, but the academic enterprise of discovery and innovation itself.

Affiliations: 

1. School of Health Sciences, Kansas State University
2. Edson College of Nursing & Health Innovation, Arizona State University

References:

1. Mailey, E. L. (2023). Investigating faculty perceptions of sabbatical leave. Poster presentation for the SBM Leadership Institute, Society of Behavioral Medicine, Phoenix, AZ.
2. Robiner, W. N., Buum, H. T., Eckerstorfer, M., Kim, M. H., & Kirsch, J. D. (2023). Sabbaticals in US medical schools. The American Journal of Medicine, 136(3), 322-328.
3. Gernon, T. (2020). A sabbatical reboot. Science, 370(6517), 738-738.
4. Ioppolo, B., & Wooding, S. (2023). How academic sabbaticals are used and how they contribute to research–a small-scale study of the University of Cambridge using interviews and analysis of administrative data. F1000Research, 11, 36.
5. Gardner, S. K. (2022). Faculty learning and professional growth in the sabbatical leave. Innovative Higher Education, 47(3), 435-451.
6. Reichardt, J. K. (2022). How to Sabbatical Successfully (and Reinvigorate Your Career)?. Methods and Protocols, 5(6), 86.
7. Davidson, O. B., Eden, D., Westman, M., Cohen-Charash, Y., Hammer, L. B., Kluger, A. N., ... & Spector, P. E. (2010). Sabbatical leave: who gains and how much?. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(5), 953.
8. Smith, D. R. (2020). Is sabbatical a dirty word? Sabbatical is a privilege and a challenge and too often becomes a “staybatical” to finally tackle the demanding projects. The EMBO Reports, 21(7), EMBR202050886.