Burned-out workers are considering 'micro-retirement'. What is it?

First, there was the “great resignation,” followed by “quiet quitting,” and more recently, “coffee badging.”

If there’s one thing we can all relate to, it’s the urge to step away from work. Whether you’re passionate about your job or not, there are always times when the stress becomes overwhelming, and the idea of taking a break seems irresistible.

Now, as we welcome the new year, this very urge has turned into a viral trend, particularly among millennials and Gen Z. They’re calling it “micro-retirement.”

But how does one actually go about “micro-retiring”? Here’s everything you need to know about this growing movement.

Breaking the monotony

A distant cousin of sabbatical, “micro-retirement” aka mini retirement refers to young workers stepping away from their careers and taking out a chunk of time to travel, focus on passions or pick up a new side gig.

The term likely gained traction on TikTok and has become particularly popular among Gen Z and millennials— “generations of people who aren’t anywhere near retirement age yet, but who refuse to accept that there’s nothing but work ahead for the next three-five decades,” reports British news outlet Unilad.

Also read: A quiet movement: What’s the ‘hushed hybrid’ trend at workplaces?

Anaïs Felt, a 31-year-old content creator from the San Francisco Bay Area, shared her experience of taking a micro-retirement from her 10-year-old Silicon Valley tech job after dealing with burnout.

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In a viral TikTok video, she shared, “I’ve never felt healthier. I’ve never felt more rested. It’s been amazing, and I highly recommend it.”

Felt said that the break is “totally worth it” if you have the money. She’s “childfree” and had saved up “a sizable chunk” of funds before bidding farewell to her 9-to-5.

Bye-Bye burnouts

Anaïs isn’t alone. A survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, which polled 1,405 US workers, found that 44 per cent of respondents felt burned out at work.

Natalie Whitcombe, an HR specialist and founder of Whitcombe HR, explained to Refinery29 that the rise of micro-retirement among young people is due to the “culture of always being available,” whether for work or on social media.

Also read: Over worked: Why 86% of Indians are unhappy at their workplace

“People are experiencing high levels of stress and pressure to always be productive, which can lead to exhaustion. It also seems that travel is very high on everyone’s lists now,” said Whitcombe.

Morgan Sanner, a 27-year-old human resources worker from Ohio, shared with New York magazine’s The Cut that her decision to take a break was inspired by others she saw “taking significant breaks” from their careers after her own first international trip.

“I think Gen Z is interested in less traditional models of employment, in general,” she explained.

“For example, we’re far more likely to freelance or do contract work than previous generations. I hope that as we become a bigger part of the workforce, mini-retirements become more doable and more normalised.”

How to successfully micro-retire?

If you’re contemplating the idea of a micro-retirement, experts, along with those who have experienced it themselves, suggest a few steps to ensure success. First and foremost, it’s important to clear any existing debt and build up a “sizeable” financial cushion.

Consumer finance expert Pearl Akintola, speaking to Refinery29, explained that without proper savings, it could take years to afford a micro-retirement. She advises creating a detailed budget that accounts for monthly expenses such as bills, rent or mortgage payments, and groceries, and then adding in the estimated costs for activities you want to enjoy during your time off.

“Consider adding a buffer of 20-40 per cent to your estimated budget,” she added. “This extra cushion will help ensure you can comfortably cover your time off, especially if it takes longer to find a job than you’d hoped.”

In general, experts agree that you should aim to have at least a year’s worth of expenses saved up before embarking on a micro-retirement.

Tim Toterhi also recommends setting “clear, specific goals” to maximise the benefits of your break and determining what “coming back” to work will look like for you.

“Is it returning with a new set of skills, or when you’ve reached a certain financial benchmark?” he said. “Setting these goals helps ensure that your time off is meaningful and intentional, giving you clear metrics to measure success.”

For those returning to work after their break, career clarity is key. Cara Nicole, 28, shared with The Cut that it’s important to communicate your goals clearly.

“We should be able to tell a hiring manager, ‘Hey, I took this time to refocus, and now I’m coming back with more energy than ever, knowing this is exactly what I want to do and where I want to be,’” she explained.

“It’s all about how you sell it.”

With input from agencies