Mini Retirement: The Latest Trend For Young Professionals
For young professionals, burnout and stress exhaustion are incredibly common due to the high amounts of pressure they face in their careers. While vacationing and taking time off is one way to combat burnout, taking a mini retirement to achieve financial independence or maintain the same job stability could be an even better solution for young workers.
Traditionally, retirement is a period of life that people look forward to after years of hard work. However, for young professionals, retirement might not be the best option.
Mini retirements represent a major life decision and a new trend that is gaining popularity as a way for young professionals to take a break from their career without committing to traditional retirement.
So, how can you go about planning your own mini retirement? This article will discuss the benefits of mini retirement, the latest trend for young professionals, and provide tips on how to plan for this unique opportunity.
What Does a Mini Retirement Look Like?
As mentioned, taking a mini retirement involves simply taking a break from work for an extended period, often one month or more, but on a much smaller scale than traditional retirements.
A mini retirement could last anywhere from one month to six months, offering a crucial period to travel, relax, and recharge your batteries before re-entering the workforce, which can help manage the cost of waiting and maintain personal balance.
There are no set rules for how you should fund and spend your mini retirement, but it's wise to plan in advance to afford this significant personal journey and ensure financial goals are met.
Why Should You Plan a Mini Retirement?
There are a number of reasons why young professionals might plan a mini retirement, and they aren't all related to stress or burnout.
If you are in your twenties or thirties, you may be eager to make a career change, potentially retire early, and travel the world, which aligns with the FIRE movement aspirations for more money and personal growth. A mini retirement can help you do both of those things without sacrificing your future income or job prospects.
It can also be a strategic way to transition into traditional retirement, particularly if you've decided with family and friends to save for half a life of leisure.
If you're not quite ready to give up your career, a mini retirement can be a way to ease into retirement gradually. You can take a few months off to relax and recharge, and then come back to work refreshed and motivated.
Preparing For a Mini Retirement
Going on an extended break sounds exciting, and you may be tempted to just pick a date and go. But there’s more to it than that. Like any other life change, mini retirement deserves careful thought and planning.
Here are some tips to help you get started:
1. Figure out your finances.
It can be expensive to take a mini retirement, requiring significant savings and careful saving to ensure you have enough, especially when planning for extended time off with less money. How much money you need will depend on your goals and plans for the time.
But, as a general rule, you should have at least six months of living expenses saved up – and no outstanding consumer debt, if possible!
2. Create a budget.
Once you determine your financial needs, you can begin strategizing on saving by enhancing your savings plan, especially important when earning less money over an extended time.
One way to do this is to create a budget and stick to it. This may mean making some sacrifices, like cutting back on your spending or downgrading your lifestyle.
3. Start planning your trip.
With your budget sorted out, you can start planning your trip. Decide where you want to go and what new skill you want to learn, which may influence discussions with your employer about taking extended time off. This will help you figure out how much money you need to save.
4. Make a timeline.
Timelines are an excellent way to keep track of your progress and make sure you’re on track. Create a timeline for your mini retirement, carefully plotting out when to save, manage savings, and negotiate with your employer about your extended time away.
5. Stay positive.
The last thing you want is for mini retirement to be a burden, so avoid feeling guilty about the work you're missing at your employer, and just enjoy being in a state of rest while you save and manage your savings during this extended time.
Conclusion
Mini retirement isn't for everyone, but more and more young professionals are finding it to be a great way to take a break from their career, recharge their batteries, and come back stronger than ever.
If you're thinking about mini retiring, make sure to do your research and plan ahead so that you can make the most of this unique opportunity.