The dung in life
For decades, retirement has been considered the last reward after a lifetime of work. But today, that concept is gradually changing. Instead of waiting until the age of 60 or 65, many young people decide to "temporarily retire" for a few months or a few years.
The idea of mini Retirement - temporary retirement for a short period of time - appeared in the early 2000s, but it has only been really popular in recent years. In many big cities, it is easy to see young faces wearing their backpacks on the road, leaving the office busy with work to attend a pottery course in Kyoto (Japan), wandering on a camping trip across Europe or simply living peacefully on the coast.
According to a global survey on retirement attitudes released by HSBC - a UK-based multinational banking and finance corporation - in 2025, nearly half of participants (49%) said they wanted short retirement periods to "recharge". Instead of waiting for a single retirement vacation at the end of their life, many people want to experience 2-3 retirements like that, each lasting from 6 to 12 months.
Experts call this a "silent resistance" of the younger generation against the workload. When stress and burnout become an disease of the times, flexible and purposeful breaks bring great meaning: Balance, joy of life and another vision for the future.
Many people have gone through the pandemic, witnessed relatives losing their jobs, or have personally experienced mental health difficulties. They realized that waiting until 65 years old to truly live is no longer a goal, Rodriguez, a financial consultant in the US, shared.
The flexibility of the labor market and the trend of remote working also contribute to promoting this trend. 3 - 6 months off is no longer the end of his career. In contrast, many businesses encourage employees to take a break to avoid burnout and then return to new sources of energy. In some US technology companies, long-term paid or paid leave (' sav savingscal) has become the official policy.
Many people consider "mini Retirement" as a way to "invest in living expenses": Instead of buying more assets, they use money for living experiences in new lands, learning skills, building relationships and expanding perspectives.
However, not everyone is qualified to leave work for many months. Financial burden, family responsibilities or cultural barriers make this trend not popular in many places. But its spread shows a real need: Finding a more balanced way of life in a volatile world.
Changing the measure of success
Maxime Coche - Senior Project Director in the engineering industry in the UAE, decided to take a full year off to spend time with his family. This is not the first time he has done this.
In 2012, while in France, he and his wife had their first long vacation, an experience that made both of them decide to repeat. In 2023, with 3 children, they waited until their youngest child was old enough to remember the trip and the eldest child was still interested in traveling. Having fun with the children is the biggest motivation, he said.
After the pandemic, he became more convinced that work was always there, but the opportunity to spend a long time with his family was not there. During the 12 months, the whole family traveled through many countries in Africa, Asia and the Atlantic. They also apply homeschooling ( self-study at home) methods for their children on the journey.
Every time we come back from a trip, we work better with a better mindset... the problem is just the decision and action, Coche shared.
Lauren Sanders, 24, used to work at a technology company in California. Despite her 6-digit salary, she still felt exhausted. Along with two friends - Jack Elliott and Ted Lewitt - she decided to quit her job, save money to buy a 15-meter sailing boat and plan to cross the Pacific Ocean.
In April 2025, the SV Open range ship left Mexico, heading to the Marquesas Islands in Polynesia, France - a journey of more than 2,600 nautical miles. The whole world is not easy: wide waves, broken engines, waves hitting even the microwave door... but they also have rare moments: Processing sashimi from vua ca tuyua, lying on a deck watching the stars, playing in the middle of the ocean. When they arrived at Fatu Hiva Island after 23 days, they burst into tears of happiness.
"The sweet smell of dirt when touching the shore makes me realize that all the hard work is worth it," said Lauren. Jack affirmed: I want to return and start a business, bringing the energy from this trip to work. That experience made me believe that I could do more.
"Mini Retirement" is not only for those who are reckless in sailing across the ocean. Some people choose to travel a few months slowly, learn a new foreign language or volunteer in a remote country. The common point is that everyone temporarily puts aside their daily lives to seek new energy.
Somewhere, the definition of success is also changing. Not only is it a promotion or accumulation of assets, but it is also an opportunity to live a meaningful, colorful life. The pauses, even short-lived, can leave a long-term impression.
And like the story of the SV Open range boat, sometimes the decision to stop opens up a journey to go further.
