How One Executive Used a Sabbatical to Fix His Career

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL—One morning in 2005, Daniel H. Marcus awoke in a pitch-black hotel room. The executive-pay consultant knew he needed to see a corporate client, his third in three days in three far-flung cities. But for several minutes, he didn’t know where he was or who awaited him.
“That doesn’t bode well for my work,” Mr. Marcus thought to himself. His memory lapse proved a blessing in disguise. With constant travel and 60-hour weeks pushing him close to burnout, the veteran partner at Mercer, a major human-resource consultant, decided he needed a sabbatical.

Mr. Marcus pursued an elaborate self-improvement scheme and sharpened his professional focus during an eight-month break, which ended in November 2006. “I’m a better consultant today because I bring a more balanced perspective to my work,” he says. The 51-year-old adviser now toils about 40 hours a week for Semler Brossy Consulting Group in Los Angeles.

A sabbatical can enhance your career, especially if you acquire valuable skills, experience and insights. Extended breaks allow for personal goals, such as travel, study or research. A look at Mr. Marcus’s playbook offers helpful moves to follow — and missteps to avoid. Read article.