Finding a better work-life balance

Jill Richardson describes her 2017 sabbatical as “like a dream.” That might be, she adds, because she mostly slept for the first month.

That time at home allowed Richardson, formerly Jill Lush, to enjoy time with family and friends, read, play with her dog and truly let go of her job as CEO of Sprout Family Services, confident it was being well-managed in her absence.

After her deep rest, Richardson and her partner traveled to Europe via New York, visiting Berlin, Prague, Amsterdam, Denmark, Rome, Florence, Paris and more, hitting bucket list sights along the way. Since that time, they married and have started a family. And she has a new job, leading another nonprofit as CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska.

Throughout the sabbatical, Richardson noticed how “healthy and alive” she felt, and wondered how to prolong that feeling once she returned to work. That led to the realization that work could no longer be the only priority in her life, and that taking time for the people and activities she loves makes her a better leader.

She learned to prioritize her own self-care, as well as pay it forward to her staff and others, helping them maintain a healthy work-life balance too. She said she feels a deep sense of gratitude toward her board and board president for supporting her time away, even though it came during a period with a few organizational challenges.

“I will never forget that feeling, and will always be trying to actively cultivate that kind of deep support for those around me.”