It’s Only January, is it Too Early to Plan a Sabbatical?
By mid-January, the “fresh start” energy of the new year has often collided with the reality of a backlogged inbox, full Q1 targets, and little space to think beyond the next deadline. And as organisations plan for this year, a 2025 report suggests that demand for sabbaticals is rising, with 42% of workers stating they want access to extended leave and 62% expressing concern that employers risk overworking staff.
Against that backdrop, some leaders are beginning to ask whether it’s actually too late, not too early, to start planning sabbaticals properly.
While sabbaticals are often treated as a last resort, some fast-growing companies are beginning to plan them 12–18 months in advance, integrating them into succession planning, delegation, and leadership development. The focus isn’t time off for its own sake, but protecting long-term performance and continuity.
If a business can’t function for four weeks without a senior leader, there’s a need to look at the system. High performers leave because the business has made them indispensable to too many low-value decisions.
The most effective sabbaticals are planned far earlier than most leaders expect, for three key reasons:
Burnout rarely announces itself.
By the time an executive asks for time off, disengagement has often already set in. Planning sabbaticals a year ahead allows companies to intervene before performance or retention suffers.
Delegation gaps are exposed early.
Preparing for a sabbatical forces leaders to identify which tasks genuinely require their judgement and which are the result of poor delegation, bloated meetings, or unnecessary administration.
Continuity becomes a competitive advantage.
Teams that can operate smoothly during a leader’s absence tend to be more resilient, autonomous, and attractive to ambitious talent.
Rather than encouraging leaders to “switch off”, sabbatical planning is really about redesigning how work flows long before anyone steps away.
A well-planned sabbatical doesn’t start with booking flights. It starts with removing the administrative tax that keeps senior people trapped in the weeds. When executives are supported properly, stepping away becomes a proof point of strong leadership, not a risk.
Written by Fineas Tatar, leadership expert and co-founder of premium executive assistant service Viva