Six tips for planning a grown-up gap year

Think you might be ready for a sabbatical? If you struggle to watch a film in one sitting or find time to read a novel, you may well be.

Increasing numbers of frazzled em­ployees are taking mid-career breaks to realign a lopsided work-life balance and learn new skills while they’re at it. Others hit the road for 12 months, determined to see as much of the world as possible. With a bit of planning, there’s no reason why you can’t combine both.

1 Costs Tell friends you’re taking a year off work and they’ll look at you in disbelief. That’s probably because they’re recalling how much they spent on a luxury seven-day break in Phuket and multiplying that figure by 52. Helicopter rides and tables at exclusive restaurants are fine when you have a regular salary but if you’re planning a grown-up gap year, you’ll need to rein in the spending.

Negotiate a monthly rate on a cottage in Scotland, a riad in Morocco or a beachside bungalow in Goa when the high-season hordes have returned to their desk jobs. Opt for self-catering accommodation so you can cook some nights and eat out on others. Buy your travel wardrobe in Bangkok rather than Central, then use the money saved to pay for a scuba-diving course on Koh Tao. Join a local library, gym or camera club in Adelaide or Alaska. The aim is to trim outgoings without becoming an obsessive penny pincher. You already live in the world’s most expensive city for expats, so wherever you end up will seem cheap.

2 Where to go Planning an itinerary has never been easier. There are websites for homestays and home swaps, voluntary work and visas, maps and translation apps. Where you choose to go will affect living costs. Limit your time at expensive desti­nations, such as Tahiti or Iceland, and book longer stays in equally stunning locations such as the Himalayas or Greek islands, where money goes a lot further. Three weeks hiking in Nepal is likely to be cheaper than three nights in a Swiss chalet.