Wouldn’t it be great to get paid not to work? This isn’t just a dream at companies that offer sabbaticals(休假)．Employers say they’re a valuable way to give their workers a change of scenery and prevent them from being tired out．Unfortunately, only 3％ of companies offer paid sabbaticals(带薪休假)(12％ offer unpaid), according to the Society for Human Resource Management(SHRM)．But even if you’re not lucky enough to work for one of them, you can still enjoy a break．Three choices：
Chunk of Time．To get a longer break than normal, save long weekends for vacation time, delay your days off till need year, borrow some time from next year to use now, or use extra time off for overtime hours, suggests Bonnie Michaels, president of the Society．
Unpaid Time．If your family has no money problem, ask for a longer leave without pay．“But do your homework first, ” says Michaels．Research the costs for your break, plan your break at a time during which your company is not operating if possible, then be business-like and present your leave proposal so that your manager will believe that you’ll work better if you are more energetic after the leave．
No Time．Just can’t get away? Read How to Take a Sabbatical Without Taking More than a Week Off(Simon ＆ Schuster), by Pare Ammondson, which shows an eight-week program to renew your energy and reduce your stress even while you’re working．
