Summary
Younger generations are embracing “micro-retirements,” short sabbaticals or lifestyle shifts, to combat burnout and improve work-life balance.
This trend is fueled by pandemic-related stress, declining workplace flexibility, and increased burnout reports.
Millennials and Gen Z, facing financial and mental health pressures, are prioritizing their well-being, even at the expense of promotions, as they reject the traditional career model of working until age 65.
Meanwhile, older generations like boomers and Gen X struggle to retire due to financial insecurity and rising costs, with many “unretiring” to stretch limited savings.
My micro-retirement is not being able to find a job because my industry lost like 200k jobs in 2024 and the market is saturated with people willing to work for less than the next person