Whether your Dating Sabbatical is one month or six, it should be treated as a unique period in your life. So, to get the most out of your Dating Sabbatical, consider planning some of these activities:

Treat your body well.

We primp and preen for dates, why not for ourselves? You could do the usual things, like working out and eating better, but take a deeper dive and see what your body wants. A Dating Sabbatical is a great time to do a cleanse or a fast, go to a retreat or create a home sanctuary.

Travel

Sometimes we travel with a new significant other, sometimes we stop traveling because we’re in a new relationship. So travel now. Go with friends or on your own. Book a tour, take a cruise or just set off on a road trip (with or without a map!).

Connect with friends

Your Dating Sabbatical is a time to nurture yourself and one of the best ways to do that is to restore connections with those who are meaningful to you. Set up some coffee dates, enroll in classes together,  or just plan some nights at home with dinner and good conversation.

Declutter and refresh

A Dating Sabbatical is a great time to declutter, organize, minimize, simplify and refresh your spaces (home, work, car, etc.). Think of it as making new space for your new self.

Learn and do new things

You’ll likely find yourself with some time on your hands. Before I started my Dating Sabbatical, I felt like I was working a part-time job trying to find a partner! So take this time to enroll in a class, take a workshop, explore volunteer opportunities or take up a new, healthy habit.

Let go of expectations

During this time, you may meet prospective partners, especially if you’re trying new and fun things! But let go of the expectations of what those connections might be. Try friendship first. Your sabbatical has an end date, so consider this a gentle incubation period, for the new connection and your expectations.

Journal

For a lot of us, a Dating Sabbatical can be a wake-up call. You can realize how much (or how little) time you spend looking for a partner, how much energy and thought expended on the quest, and how our society is structured around couplehood. Make sure you have a place, whether that’s a journal, a friend or a therapist, to process your thoughts and feelings as you temporarily withdraw from the rat race.

Even if you don’t plan to do any of these activities, your sabbatical can be a wonderful breather from the dating scene. But if you plan one, some or all of these activities, you’ll likely get more out of your time on sabbatical and emerge rejuvenated, wiser and more worldly.

Have you taken a Dating Sabbatical?

What other essential activities would you add to the list?