Another social media trending term is 'Micro Retirement' that is related to mental well being and work life balance. Let's look at the theory and process of micro retirement.
Micro-retirement is a growing trend online where individual employees take short and intentional breaks from their careers to recharge, travel, or pursue personal passions away from their busy work lives. This is very much different from a traditional retirement that comes at the ending of one's career. Micro retirement involves multiple mini-retirements throughout one's work life span. This concept is popular among Gen Z and millennials, who prioritize work-life balance and mental well-being.
Affording micro-retirement requires careful financial planning that should be done in advance. This can not be done aggressively at once due to hectic work pressure. Here are some strategies to consider:
Save Aggressively: You need to set aside a significant portion of your income specifically for your micro-retirement fund. You can replace online food delivery with cooking at home to save money.
Create multiple income streams: Take a part of your income and invest in stocks, real estate, or side businesses to gain income during your break also. You can also use your skills to find freelancing work.
Budget Wisely: It is important to plan your expenses and cut unnecessary costs to stretch your savings faster.
Consider geo-arbitrage: you can relocate to a lower-cost area or country during your break to reduce living expenses to avoid financial crisis.
Freelance or Part-Time Work: You can take up flexible work opportunities to maintain some income while enjoying your time off that also aligns with your interests.
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Analyze Your Financial Health: Evaluate your savings, debts, and monthly expenses to determine if you can afford a career break at that moment.
Define Your Goals: Identify what you want to achieve during your micro-retirement, whether it's travel, skill development, or relaxation or even pursuing your passion.
Plan the time frame: You need to decide the duration of your break. Take a moment to calculate the associated costs like living expenses, food, electricity, water, etc.
Evaluate Career Impact: When you are taking a break from work. You need to analyze a few things like impact on work and career.
Create a Re-Entry Plan: Outline steps to rejoin the workforce smoothly after your micro-retirement.
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