At my law firm, you get some extra leave for every seven years of service as a 'sabbatical'. I just clocked 21 years and my third sabbatical. But what to do for a sabbatical when the kids have found their wings and your spouse is shackled to her work schedule? For me, the answer was the cerulean embrace of the Aegean Sea, in a tiny, picturesque Greek village, immersed in a 'Writers Residency'. It went pretty well. While the distractions of endless sunshine, warm water and great food did have an impact, I managed to get 25,000 words into my third book 'The Breakthrough Lawyer’s Survival Guide'.

Joining me at the residency were twenty individuals hailing from corners of the world as disparate as their careers. The group spanned many decades, with the youngest being 22 and the oldest 72. An eccentric mix including a tennis pro, politician, paramedic, successful entrepreneur, and even a famous astrologer. The diversity was palpable in the genres of their books. Thrillers, memoirs and self-help books rubbed shoulders with lesbian fiction and sci-fi novels…oh, and a coaching guide for lawyers. I have found long form writing to be quite a lonely experience but the camaraderie of these amazing individuals made the entire process feel collaborative and truly enjoyable.

My home for the duration was a charming cottage nestled between two small farms, a short bike ride away from the village, surrounded by fertile patches of land lovingly tended by septuagenarian farmers (one in the continuous company of a cat that thought it was a sheepdog). The sound of sheep, chickens, and the rhythmic tilling of land formed the perfect background score to my writing sessions at a table under a canopy of grapevines. Almost right out of a Van Gogh painting – if he had have turned his hand to painting lawyers writing books.

At the peak of a Greek summer, the bounty of nature unfolded in all its glory. Flowers, fruits and vegetables seemed to be growing unrestrained everywhere. My cottage had the most extraordinarily productive apricot tree. Each morning I would collect for breakfast ten or so apricots of the fifty or more that had dropped. When writing, I could hear the apricots falling as each breeze came through. One morning while collecting my breakfast bounty an apricot hit me on the head. While Newton discovered gravity after being hit on the head by an errant apple, sadly the apricot assault produced no remarkable insights other than gratitude it wasn’t a watermelon.

An average day began early, with a leisurely bike ride along cobblestone streets to the village for a swim in the clearest of waters to a small island a few hundred meters offshore. A visit to the local café, the only one open at the time, set the stage for breakfast and then a morning session with my co-residents, guided by our brilliant author coaches.

The afternoon was dedicated to 'anchored writing time', often in the company of others at a beachfront taverna. One coffee could buy you hours at a table, often sweetened by the free addition of a small biscuit or cake. The Greeks, you see, have a unique concept of 'Philotimo' which is defined as the feeling of not being able to do enough for your family, society and your community. It is expressed through acts of generosity without expecting anything in return. It makes Greece a most hospitable place to travel.

Skala Eressos, our haven, is a village of unparalleled beauty and was a magnet for hippies in the 70s. Boasting about 15 beachside tavernas, a jazz bar, and an open-air cinema, it caterers to a variety of tastes.

The aim of a sabbatical is to refresh the mind and body. Mission accomplished, with the added bonus of a half-complete book. But here I am, back in the office, my mind often meandering back to those tranquil days by the Aegean. I'm now plotting to convince the firm to open an office in Skala. The locals may not need many lawyers, but perhaps there is a business opportunity offering counsel to those victims of apricot-related personal injuries.

 

Nick Abrahams is global leader of the digital transformation practice at Norton Rose Fulbright and co-founder of LawPath

 

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