New Delhi, Feb. 24 -- A sabbatical sounds romantic until the salary stops. Whether chosen or forced, a career pause tests more than ambition: It tests liquidity, discipline and emotional stamina. The secret isn't courage, it's cash flow planning.

Santosh Jahagirdar, 45, is a Pune-based IT professional with 23 years of experience. From February 2024 to January 2025, he took a one-year sabbatical after planning for nearly a year. He calculated monthly and annual expenses, created a dedicated sabbatical corpus separate from long-term investments and parked funds in low-volatility instruments.

However, every sabbatical may not be voluntary. Bengaluru-based Ruby Naz, 33, a corporate counsel, took a six-month sabbatical from April to Septembe...