Micro-Retirement: 10 Pros On Why It's Worth It & 10 Cons That Convince You Otherwise
Micro-Retirement: 10 Pros On Why It's Worth It & 10 Cons That Convince You Otherwise
What Is Micro-Retirement?
Micro-retirement is a new fad where young adults take intentional and short periodic breaks that allow them to live their lives freely and pursue individual hobbies and passions. Essentially, instead of waiting for the traditional retirement at around the age of 65, people are choosing to make time now. Whether this is the first time you're hearing about it or it's something you're considering, here are 10 pros and cons you definitely need to think about first.
1. Experience More While You're Young
We grow up constantly being told that our 20s and 30s are the best periods of our lives, but with full-time work always in the way, it can be hard being in the moment and enjoying life to the fullest. With micro-retirement, young adults can have the opportunity to experience life the way they want while still in their prime.
2. Opportunity To Travel
Everyone wants to travel but not everyone has the time to do it. If you're feeling stuck while your soul is out in the wild exploring the unknown, micro-retirement gives you that flexibility to take leave from work and travel to all the places you've always wanted to. And the younger you are, the less likely you have other responsibilities like children weighing you down.
3. Improved Mental Health
Work is stressful. There's no way around it! When you're constantly pushing yourself every day to do your best and meet expectations, it's bound to be exhausting. It's even worse if you're in a job you don't enjoy! That's why micro-retirement can be great for your mental health; it lets you take a breather when you're otherwise stuck in a hectic and repetitive daily routine.
4. Power To Control
When your life starts feeling like an endless loop with no end, micro-retirement can be there to help pull you out. By putting you back in the driver's seat, taking these breaks can help people feel in control of their own lives. It's a very simple yet important aspect of our lives that we often forget to take into consideration.
5. Spend More Time With Friends And Family
During this free time where you get to relax and reconnect with yourself, many micro-retirers love spending time with friends and family. Whereas you usually feel like you can never make the time, you now have the perfect opportunity to hang out with all your loved ones.
6. Feel More Rested
Sleeping in? Not having to rush out the door in the morning? You'll be amazed how much more rested you'll feel when your life isn't being run by an alarm clock. Taking leave from work will help you regain your energy and feel more at peace with yourself.
7. Putting Yourself First
When was the last time your prioritized your own well-being and passions before anything else? It can be hard to remember to put yourself first sometimes, but if micro-retirement sounds like what you've been looking for, it can the step in the right direction. Go back to being your number one fan again.
8. Exploring Different Career Paths
During your time off in micro-retirement, you might get a wake-up call that the path you're walking right now isn't for you - and that's okay! We hardly get time to sit down and think about our own career most of the time, so getting this moment to breathe might make you realize things about what you want to do that you didn't know.
9. Re-Evaluate Your Life
Are you where you want to be in life? Are you working towards it? Some people sit down to really evaluate these questions during their time away from the rest of the world. It's not just about career paths or short-term decisions, it's about who you are as a person and being satisfied with your current status.
10. Reignite Your Work Passion
Sometimes, it takes stepping away for a bit to realize that you love what you had. For those in fields that they're passionate about, it might just be exhaustion making you feel drained and not a lack of love for what you do. So by taking a step back momentarily, you might just reignite your drive.
1. Financial Instability
If you're not working, where are you getting the money from? If you're someone who has a lot of bills to pay, you might not be able to go on those amazing trips or explore new hobbies if you don't have the funds to support yourself during this time of leave. No one likes to be held back by money, but it is an important factor to consider.
2. Boredom
For some people, micro-retirement might not be all that it's chalked up to be. There isn't always going to be some life-altering vacation, discovery of new interests, or newfound appreciation for life, sometimes, there's just more free time than you know what to do with.
3. Fear of the Unknown
Choosing to do micro-retirement can feel like a big step, especially if it's new territory you've never crossed before. While it should be a time filled with motivation and excitement, some individuals might get caught up in the fear of it all. "Was this the right decision? What should I be doing?" It can be easy getting overwhelmed by what you don't know.
4. Struggles With Career Progression
Many employers value hard work, consistency, and dedication. Sadly, if you choose to go on micro-retirement, you're actively deciding to be away from work, which can affect your chances of moving up in the company or within your field.
5. Uncooperative Companies
Not to mention, many companies might not even support micro-retirement! You may be forced to leave your job entirely if your boss doesn't okay you being on leave for several months on end. It really depends on where you work and how long of a break you're asking to take.
6. Societal Stigma
Micro-retirement is a very new concept that has only recently gained traction; that just means most people have never heard of it before! And with every new idea that shifts from the norm, there's going to be backlash and disapproval.
7. Increase In Stress On Return
Sure, taking a long break to rejuvenate is nice, but when you return back to work, you have to consider the possibility that you'll feel even more stressed than before. Having to catch up on updates, changes, and backed up work, what are the chances you'll feel even worse than before you left?
8. Laziness
A majority of people are a lot more lazy than they'd like to admit. And during this period of leave when you should be active and making the most of your time, how can you be so sure you won't fall into laziness? There's nothing worse than walking away from your micro-retirement achieving none of the goals you set out to reach.
9. Forgetting Work Skills
After spending months away from work, what will you do if you suddenly forgot very valuable work skills needed to do your job? Whether it's social skills like interaction with clients or technical skills like using excel, this time away might just set you back in your career more than you realize.
10. It's Glamorized
As a popular trend that's growing thanks to many Gen-Zers, the idea of micro-retirement is a lot more glamorized than it seems. With influencers posting about their "perfect" time off, they don't showcase the many downsides or concerns that regular folk have.
