Taking Sabbatical at the Age of 24

This is a non-technical post that I feel fit to share as the year 2024 has come to an end. It’s been a little more than a year since I took a sabbatical and joined the workforce in 2024. I will cover everything from why I took a sabbatical to what I did during the sabbatical and how I spent my time.

Why I Took a Sabbatical?

Taking a sabbatical at the age of 24 isn’t a typical decision, but in September 2023, I chose to step away from work for some much-needed time off. This decision wasn’t easy, but it was necessary for several reasons:

1. I was completely drained and struggling to focus on anything.
2. Coding had always been my passion, and the joy I once felt was gone. I entered software engineering because of my love for it, and not enjoying it anymore was a major red flag.
3. Persistent health issues made things worse. I couldn’t go a week without feeling unwell.
4. On top of everything, personal challenges added to the weight I was carrying.

At that point, I wasn’t in the right headspace to put in the effort needed for interviews or job applications. I had worked for about three years, including my internships, and the toll on my health was undeniable. Taking a sabbatical was a step I had to take to regain my health and perspective.

How I took the decision?

I have been meaning to take the sabbatical from March 2023. I was already working on the idea of taking a sabbatical. I couldn’t gather the courage to take the decision. I was scared of the unknown and the future. In August 2023, I talked to Sid (famously known as svs on X/Twitter), who helped me gather the courage to take the decision, and that is when I submitted my resignation letter.

I remember distinctly that it was 10am on 25th August 2023 when I submitted my resignation letter on the same call with Sid. I didn’t take my financial situation into consideration because, at the back of my mind, I had enough savings to last me for 2-3 years. Sid gave me the courage to take the decision, and I am grateful for that as I was looking for that courage from my parents and friends, but they were against the idea. I had been even communicating with my manager about the situation, and he did help me by reducing my workload, but it was not enough. I am thankful to him for helping me with his support.

I had no plan but only a hope that I would get out of the situation and the urge to do things I have always wanted to do. I had no roadmap of what I would do during the sabbatical or the time period I would take. I just wanted to take one day at a time as it comes. Travel was definitely one of the things I wanted to do during the sabbatical.

What I did during the sabbatical?

During my sabbatical, I made several lifestyle changes to recharge and regain balance. I joined a gym, started reading fiction, watched more movies both at home and in theaters, quit coffee, and stayed off social media.

I also began traveling to explore new places. My first trip was to Hyderabad, where I stayed with a friend and his family for a week. I visited almost all the popular spots in the city, including Ramoji Film City, which marked the start of my travel adventures. Next, I went on a spiritual family trip to Ujjain to seek blessings from Shiva. We visited several temples and explored local attractions, making it a peaceful and enriching experience.

Afterward, I returned to Bangalore to pack up and move back to my parents’ home in Greater Noida. But not without a fun detour, a short trip with friends to Kodaikanal.

Being a huge cricket fan, I also indulged in the excitement of the home World Cup season. I spent most of my time watching matches and even attended the India vs. Afghanistan game in Delhi, where I witnessed Rohit Sharma’s century live. This was a childhood dream come true as it was my first time watching a live match. Later, I managed to snag tickets for the India vs. Australia final in Ahmedabad. Despite the outcome, it was an unforgettable experience. While in Ahmedabad, I rented a scooter, explored the city, and enjoyed the local food scene.

At the start of 2024, I spontaneously booked a last-minute trip to Meghalaya with a friend. This trip was a life-changing experience. Exploring the Northeast had always been on my bucket list, and I planned everything just a couple of days before departure. The week-long adventure was filled with fun, learning the local language and culture, and connecting with the people. This trip marked a turning point for me. I finally felt like the burnout had lifted.

Around the same time, I picked up Designing Data-Intensive Applications by Martin Kleppmann and shared my progress on The Engineering Org Discord server created by Sid. If I had to pick two things that helped me recover, it would be the trip to Meghalaya and reading this book. They reignited my curiosity and passion for coding, and I felt rejuvenated and ready to return to work.

Post-Meghalaya, I started exploring Go, building side projects, and continuing to read DDIA. Here’s a list of the projects I worked on during my sabbatical. Among them, the project I’m most proud of is CricLang, which I launched on March 1, 2024, my 25th birthday. This birthday was particularly special as I celebrated it with both family and friends, hosting a party for the first time. It symbolized a fresh start and my readiness to re-enter the workforce.

After my birthday, I went on a trip to Rishikesh with my friends at Crework, enjoying yet another memorable adventure.

I then actively began applying for jobs and interviewing. While many interviewers asked about my sabbatical, it didn’t negatively impact my chances. Around this time, I also spent six months consistently going to the gym and even started MMA training, which I pursued for two months.

Eventually, I moved back to Bangalore and stayed at a friend’s place while continuing my job search. It was challenging to secure an offer, but I ultimately landed one with Phidata in July 2024. This marked my permanent return to Bangalore and the start of a new chapter in my career.

And at the end of this sabbatical, I had lost ~15kgs of weight. Went from 80kgs to 65kgs.

Challenges I faced during the sabbatical

At the start of my sabbatical, I was overly focused on optimizing this break to get the most out of it. A mindset that, in hindsight, was completely misplaced. I struggled with the idea of not working toward a specific goal and simply allowing myself to take a breather. It felt almost wrong to take a break and do things I genuinely enjoyed, or even to do nothing at all. I worried about how others might perceive my decision. Would they support me? Would they understand why someone so young needed a break? I also feared whether this time off would harm my career prospects or if I’d even want to return to the software engineering field. And if not, what would I do instead?

It’s a lonely feeling to go through a difficult phase because, deep down, you long for someone to reach out and pull you out of it. But the hard truth is that you have to take charge and pull yourself out. Nobody else can truly save you; you have to save yourself. No words of encouragement or external actions can magically erase your struggles. I was terrified of what the future held, but I knew I had to stand by my decision, believe in myself, and have faith that I could overcome it all.

My Learnings from the Sabbatical

1. Never make your job your whole identity and attach your self-worth to it. Life is more than your job and the next big feature for the company. Touch grass.
2. Never compromise your health for your job. And never ignore your loved ones for your job. Family == health » job.
3. Do things you want to do right now. Take that step right now. You will get so busy with your job that you will say you will do it after this release or after this big milestone. The bad news is you won’t even be able to process it and 2 years would’ve gone by without you doing the thing you love.
4. Take life a little less seriously.

Conclusion

Now, I am in a more stable and happier place. I am working at a great company, and I’m genuinely happy with my job. My mental health has improved significantly, and I can focus on both my work and my goals. While I’ve slowed down on traveling compared to 2023 and early 2024, I plan to pick it up again in 2025. I’ve never traveled outside India, and I want to change that this year.

I’m not sure if I would recommend taking a sabbatical, as it’s not for everyone. It’s a deeply personal decision. However, I’m glad I took it, and I’m happy with the choice I made. It had a positive impact on my life, and I’m grateful for the time I allowed myself to pause and reset. I’m also thankful for the challenges I faced and the lessons they taught me. Those experiences shaped who I am today.

Most importantly, I’m proud of myself.