Recharge and Achieve: Maximizing Your Sabbatical for Restoration and Growth

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Session Type: Lightning Sessions

Session Capacity: N/A

Location: N/A

Room: Laurel A & B

Floor: Fourth Floor

As clinical law professors, we operate at the intersection of academia and practice, often leading social justice efforts that demand both emotional and intellectual investment. While the rewards of our work are profound, the intensity of these roles can lead to burnout, fatigue, and diminished effectiveness. The current political moment creates heightened levels of stress and anxiety. Sabbaticals provide a vital opportunity to step back, reflect, and recharge, while also offering a structured period to pursue projects that are difficult to prioritize during the busy academic year. This Lightning Session will explore how experiential faculty can optimize their sabbaticals to achieve a balance between rest and productivity. Through a combination of research-based insights and practical strategies, participants will learn how to design a sabbatical plan that fosters rejuvenation while supporting intellectual and professional advancement. We will discuss the necessity of rest for sustainable advocacy; goal-setting, time-management, and boundary-setting techniques to maximize sabbatical benefits; and strategies for a smooth transition back into academic and social justice work. We will also offer tips for pursuing academic projects whether it's diving deeply into a research project, writing a book, or developing new course material.