Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 46
MONEY
Taking Mini Breaks from
the 9-to-5 Grind
micro r
BY CON BARBAYANNIS, CPA
What if re琀椀rement didn’t have
to wait un琀椀l your 60s? What
if you could take extended
breaks throughout your
working life to rest, recharge or
pursue something meaningful?
Micro-re琀椀rement (or minire琀椀rement) is a growing trend
where people inten琀椀onally
step away from full-琀椀me
work for several months
or even years, long before
tradi琀椀onal re琀椀rement age. It’s
about enjoying life along the
way instead of saving all the
freedom for the end.
What Is Micro-Retirement?
Unlike the conven琀椀onal idea of
re琀椀ring at 65 and never working
again, micro-re琀椀rement is about
taking periodic, planned breaks
during your career. These aren’t
short holidays or sabba琀椀cals
o昀昀ered by an employer –
they’re inten琀椀onal, o昀琀en
self-funded pauses to travel,
spend 琀椀me with family, learn
something new or simply rest.
The Trend: Australians
Embracing the Break
A 2022 LinkedIn survey
revealed that 45% of
Australians had taken an
extended career break – and
most did so by choice, not
due to job loss. Reasons
included mental health,
burnout, caregiving, travel
and personal development.
Similarly, a 2024 Robert Half
survey found that 55% of
workers were more open to
taking a career break postpandemic. Mental health was
the leading mo琀椀vator (59%),
followed by spending more
琀椀me with family (50%).
Younger genera琀椀ons –
par琀椀cularly Millennials and
Gen Z – are driving this
shi昀琀, o昀琀en valuing work-life
balance and personal growth
more than tradi琀椀onal career
milestones. Their a琀�tude?
Don’t wait un琀椀l re琀椀rement to
start living.
