| I have done this 3 times previously (~1.5 years) and am 7 months into my current stint. It can be very monotonous and requires a great deal of self-discipline. I am fortunate that my spouse earns enough for our needs. -- My Story -- For my first two times, I had my next role lined up but took 2-3 months before starting. I spent this time travelling and learning/researching. For my third time, I took a year long sabbatical offered by my employer. I pursued my own research and spent a lot of time with my child. Right now, I am 7 months into a 2? year stint to pursue my own research and augment my child's learning. -- Some Advice -- 0. Honestly ask yourself if this is for you. If you have issues with self-actualizing, budgeting, socializing, etc, then maybe this isn't the right time in your life for this. 1. Try to be clear about why you want to do this. The time goes by quickly and it can be helpful to periodically reorient towards what is meaningful. 2. Don't expect too much from yourself. The time goes by quickly and you will make yourself miserable if you have some perfect dream of what this time should look like. 3. Be prepared for boredom and loneliness. Your friends are likely still working and there is going to be a huge disparity between your free time versus theirs. |