What is a “Mini-Retirement”?
One of the biggest pieces of non-traditional financial advice I can give is the idea of “Mini-Retirements” and the lifestyle that goes along with them. A mini-retirement, a term coined by Tim Ferriss in The 4-Hour Workweek, is when one takes a set period of time off from day-to-day work and structure (aka job in most cases) in order to enjoy the fruits of life now, as opposed to only at the end of one’s career/life (standard retirement model).
The amount of time taken away from one’s old life can range from weeks, months, years or some even never return at all. Their mini-retirement may open their eyes to a new way of living or a new career path, inspired by the magic that happens once you free yourself from the tunnel vision of day-to-day existence.
Then the purpose of a mini-retirement is not just to sit by the beach and drink cocktails while watching the sunset, but to change your surroundings and free up your time in order to assess your life’s values and purpose on a deeper level. Do you have a special project or idea that you have been wanting to work on but just haven’t had the time? This free period is the perfect opportunity to start a business, write a book or maybe just spend time with your children before they grow up too quick.
My First Mini-Retirement
In June 2018, I’ll set out on my own first mini-retirement. I’ll be saying farewell to my stable, well-paying job as a technical sales manager and transform into a backpacking nomad as Lauren and I set forth on our trip around the world. This idea was inspired a lot by a book a read called Vagabonding by Rolf Potts. I highly recommend this to anyone thinking of long-term travel.
Over the period of 6-12 months (very open-ended), we plan to travel through the following areas:
- Australia
- Southeast Asia – Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Japan and probably others
- Europe – Italy, Germany, Poland, Denmark, The Netherlands, England, Ireland and probably others
- United States – Driving my our home city of Chicago to our likely new home of San Diego, CA
During this time I plan to spend a lot of time working on this blog and expanding my skills in growing an online business and writing. I also will be bringing my Kindle and plan to read as much as possible!
2018 will likely flip my life upside down!
When we return from our adventure I’m not sure what my plan is for returning to work. Unfortunately, I’m not yet of at the point financially to be able to retire early, so I will be returning to work in some capacity. However, I don’t yet know what that work will be, and that’s part of the beauty of a mini-retirement. Hopefully I will learn something new about my interests and values that will guide me in the right direction.
In my opinion, life’s too short to spend all of it working, and to put all your eggs in one basket by saving all of the adventure, relaxation and fun for the end.
Pura Vida my friends!
